Chaos Magick is a contemporary magical practice based on the ideas of Austin Osman Spare. Remarkably inclusive, it embraces and has influenced the work of William Burroughs, Robert Anton Wilson, Aleister Crowley and many others. Inspired by these magical practices, Zorn enlists the three members of his most powerful 21st century ensemble Simulacrum with special guest Brian Marsella on electric piano into this eclectic new quartet Chaos Magick. A fast moving, improvi-sational and intensely focused ensemble that draws upon classical, jazz, funk, improvisation, metal and more. This music is even crazier than Electric Masada—a must for all fans of the outer realms!
Drivetime is the latest album from ultra-prolific madman keyboardist Brian Marsella and presents the debut of The Modulators, with Reid Taylor on bass and Kenny Grohowski on drums. Drivetime is the perfect car playlist, tunes to accompany you whether driving on the open road or stuck in an unrelenting LA traffic jam. From surf rock to punk to glitch synth, psychedelia, circus music, film noir and more, Drivetime never stays in neutral. Throughout the 44 minute journey are sprinkles of references to Twin Peaks and the surreal world of David Lynch. Featuring special guests Cyro Baptista on percussion and Jon Irabagon on clarinet, Drivetime will get you where you want to go in style. (And by the way, despite what your ears may tell you, no guitars were used in the making of this album.
The Modulators are
Brian Marsella- keys
Reid Taylor- bass
Kenny Grohowski- drums
Special guests:
Cyro Baptista- percussion (2,7,8,10,13,18)
Jon Irabagon- alto clarinet (8)
All compositions and arrangements by Brian Marsella
Produced by Brian Marsella
Recorded February 19-20, 2018 at Red Palace Studios in West Orange, NJ
Engineered by Iuri Oriente
Mixed by Iuri Oriente and Brian Marsella
Mastered by Scott Hull
Album artwork and design by Anna Z Christensen-Taylor
Brian Marsella plays: Clavinet E7 (through an Ampeg Gemini II), Wurlitzer 200, Yamaha CS60, Fender Rhodes, Farfisa VIP 233, Yamaha Reface YC, Kawaii toy piano, Arturia Analog Lab 2, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, bell piano, tambourine, wooden spoons, slide whistle
*No guitars were used in the making of this album
Thanks for nothing and everything
In cherry pie, coffee, and douglas firs we find truth.
May light and dark continue to dance as music fills the air
1. Start Your Engines 00:32
2. TP Is Coming Back In Style (featuring Cyro Baptista) 03:18
3. C# 03:01
4. Chinese Food In New Jersey 02:44
5. Just In Case 02:26
6. The Fibers Are Telling Me Something About What LIES Beneath 03:08
7. Easy Rider (featuring Cyro Baptista) 02:50
8. No Sleep Tonight (featuring Cyro Baptista and Jon Irabagon) 05:09
9. Basement 04:49
10. Time Travelers Overture (featuring Cyro Baptista) 01:22
11. Space Between Dimensions 01:38
12. Fecal Core 01:21
13. Dr. Jacoby Ain’t Nothin’ but a Gigolo (The Doctor Is In) (featuring Cyro Baptista) 02:09
MAST’s Thelonious Sphere Monk is a cosmic journey reinterpreting the great Thelonious Monk Song Book in celebration of his 100th birthday. MAST tackles sixteen Monk compositions, including the acclaimed "Round Midnight," "Blue Monk," "Straight No Chaser," "Epistrophy" and "Well You Needn’t." As well as more obscure titles like "Misterioso," "Pannonica," "Friday The 13th" and "Bemsha Swing." MAST, aka Tim Conley, pays homage to the significant history of Thelonious Monk and his esteemed compositions while bringing them into the future using modern electronic bleeps, bloops, and beats. This is done in concert with the Low End Theory, Los Angeles beat culture Conley is a part of. Harmonious with the mystical and metaphysical hand painted cover art by Japanese artist Tokio Aoyama, each track created is a unique world unto itself and the listener travels from one musical planet to the next on the spaceship Monk. The sixteen track LP features a diverse cast of extraordinary musicians contributing instrumental virtuosity, which these Thelonious Monk compositions demand. NYC tenor saxophonist Chris Speed (Tim Berne, Jim Black) is haunting on "Well You Needn’t." Chicago drummer Makaya McCraven bashes and percolates on “Nutty” and “Let’s Cool One." As the album's lone piano protagonist, virtuoso Brian Marsella (John Zorn, Cyro Baptista) rises to the challenge and shines on "Ask Me Now," “'Round Midnight” and "Straight No Chaser."
Philly born upright bassist Jason Fraticelli (Taylor McFerrin, Mark Guiliana) is expansive with endless improvisational ideas on "Blue Monk." And don’t forget the horns! Trombonist Jonah Levine, trumpeter Dan Rosenboom (Burning Ghosts) and baritone/alto saxophonist Gavin Templeton (Nels Cline) put power into Thelonious Monk’s prodigious melodies and flourish blistering solos on "Evidence", "Bemsha Swing," "Epistrophy," "Nutty" and "Let’s Cool One." MAST is an LA transplant via Philadelphia and a guitarist by trade. He approaches his six string leads on the album antithetically like middle-eastern influenced "Bemsha Swing," acoustically intimate "Friday the 13th," astral space fusion "Straight No Chaser" and melancholic jazz ballad "Pannonica." In totality, the intention of Thelonious Sphere Monk is equal parts depth and fun. The jazz purist or Thelonious Monk scholar will find each rendition to be immediately recognizable and performed at a high level, yet blossomed and opened in ways not yet imagined or sonically explored. To the unfamiliar jazz listener, the underlying layers of joyous fun, wit, and playfulness, which Thelonious Monk himself embodied, will hopefully inspire that listener to further explore the rich history of this cherished American pianist and composer. Thelonious Sphere Monk.
