{"title":"Chicago Underground Duo","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"chicago-underground-duo-locus","title":"Chicago Underground Duo - Locus","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=1853696010\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/chicagoundergroundduo.bandcamp.com\/album\/locus-2\"\u003eLocus by Chicago Underground Duo\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eLocus, the seventh album by the Chicago Underground Duo (Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor), follows on the heels of their acclaimed 2012 Northern Spy release Age of Energy. Bits of breakbeat and Afropop are heard within the jazz, ambient and electronica elements of their unmistakable grooves. Also in the mix is a Ghanian folk tune and Ennio Morricone played on cornet, drums, mbira, ballophone, bamboo flute and Game Boy. The pairing came out of the Chicago Underground Orchestra founded by Mazurek almost 20 years ago during a series of weekly workshops at the famed Chicago nightclub Green Mill Cocktail Lounge. The Orchestra morphed into the Chicago Underground Duo, Trio and Quartet as situations demanded, and while the orchestra has counted among its members such jazz greats as Sun Ra drummer Robert Barry and the late bassist Fred Hopkins of Air, the younger wunderkind Taylor has been the only other consistent member of the Underground bands. The duo remains core to most everything the uncompromising Mazurek takes on. With Taylor (championed timekeeper behind Marc Ribot’s Spiritual Unity Trio and projects with Peter Brötzmann, Ken Vandermark and many others), Mazurek has crafted an ever expanding sound, based in elements of jazz, techno, film music. The nine tracks on Locus find the tireless Duo exploring, as always, new sounds and new combinations.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Northern Spy Records","offers":[{"title":"LP + Digital","offer_id":44667161444575,"sku":"LP-NS-052","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD + Digital","offer_id":44667161542879,"sku":"CD-NS-052","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"FLAC Download","offer_id":44667161477343,"sku":null,"price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"MP3 Download","offer_id":44667161510111,"sku":null,"price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/81kxRpnzC2L._SL1000.jpg?v=1703788928"},{"product_id":"chicago-underground-duo-age-of-energy","title":"Chicago Underground Duo - Age of Energy","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=3687553549\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/chicagoundergroundduo.bandcamp.com\/album\/age-of-energy-2\"\u003eAge of Energy by Chicago Underground Duo\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis year marks a milestone for the Chicago Underground Duo. It is their 15th year together as a band. In celebration of this momentous occasion they have released a new record on a brand new label. Age of Energy is Chad Taylor and Rob Mazurek’s sixth release as Chicago Underground Duo and the twelfth release in the Chicago Underground catalog. Developed during 2009 when the duo toured the east and west coasts, most of the material on the record was recorded live with very few overdubs. Thematically, Age of Energy is concerned with the balance between controlled and uncontrolled experiences. Computers, keyboards and drum machines pulse alongside ancient instruments like the African Mbira. ‘Winds and Sweeping Pines’ opens with Chad and Rob playing synthesizers and electronics, gradually as the piece develops, Chad switches to drums and Rob switches to cornet and they improvise over a blistering bass vamp in classic Chicago Underground Duo style. ‘It’s Alright’ is a piece making extensive use of electroacoustics, starting with a drone which incorporates extreme high and low frequencies. The electronics are overdriven with results of both known and unknown nature. ‘Castle In Your Heart’ is based on a traditional Shona song from Zimbabwe and constitutes the only acoustic composition. ‘Age of Energy’ alternates between a 21\/8 and a 12\/8 rhythmic cycle over a dissonant pedal point. This track was also recorded live in the studio, without any overdubs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Northern Spy Records","offers":[{"title":"LP + Digital","offer_id":44667169013983,"sku":"LP-NS-020","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD + Digital","offer_id":44667169079519,"sku":"CD-NS-020","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"FLAC Download","offer_id":44667169046751,"sku":null,"price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"MP3 Download","offer_id":44667169112287,"sku":null,"price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/Screen-Shot-2017-03-26-at-10.09.41-AM.png?v=1703789195"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.northern-spy.com\/collections\/chicago-underground-duo.oembed","provider":"Northern Spy Label Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}