Chicago Underground Duo

Founded: 1997

Headquarters: Chicago, IL

Website Link(s): http://www.thrilljockey.com/artists/?id=10011

Label(s)

 * Thrill Jockey

Genre(s)

 * Free Jazz
 * Avant-Garde Jazz
 * Soul Jazz
 * Electronica

RIYL

 * Tortoise
 * The Vandermark 5
 * Don Cherry

Band Members

 * Rob Mazurek
 * Chad Taylor

Includes Members of

 * Isotope 217
 * Chicago Underground Orchestra
 * Chicago Underground Trio
 * Exploding Star Orchestra

Band Biography
The Chicago Underground Duo, consisting of Rob Mazurek (cornet, keyboards) and Chad Taylor (drums, vibraphone), emerged as part of the late 90s Chicago free jazz movement led by frequent collaborators Tortoise. Appearing originally as the Chicago Underground Orchestra, line-ups always fluctuated, but in 1998 the nominal leader, Mazurek, and Taylor formed the Duo and released albums on their own. Influenced mostly by the jazz experimenters of the 70s and the possibilities of modern technology especially within the realms of electronic modulation, the many combinations of the Chicago Underground appear to be the direct descendents of The Art Ensemble of Chicago.

The Duo described their music as "an organic mixture of African, Electronic, Coloristic, Jazz influenced life supporting systematic, non-systematic feeling from two humans trying ever to expand outward and inward for the people and ourselves." (taken from Thrill Jockey's website biography).

=Discography=

Albums

 * 12 Degrees of Freedom 1998 (Thrill Jockey)
 * Synesthesia 2000 (Thrill Jockey)
 * Axis and Alignment 2002 (Thrill Jockey)
 * In Praise of Shadows 2006 (Thrill Jockey)