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Uncivilized Poise by Brad Jones' Aka Alias
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fave it Jazz Fusion
10 tracks | 49 minutes
Released Sep 2003
on KnittingFactoryWorks
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- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:01 Pocket Prayer 1 (Birth) lyrics BUY MP3 01:01 Pocket Prayer 1 (Birth) lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:01 Pocket Prayer 1 (Birth)
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 07:12 Black Bread lyrics BUY MP3 07:12 Black Bread lyrics "GIFT MP3" 07:12 Black Bread
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:30 Drag Queen Races lyrics BUY MP3 04:30 Drag Queen Races lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:30 Drag Queen Races
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 07:11 Hope Road lyrics BUY MP3 07:11 Hope Road lyrics "GIFT MP3" 07:11 Hope Road
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:53 Pocket Prayer 2 lyrics BUY MP3 02:53 Pocket Prayer 2 lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:53 Pocket Prayer 2
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 06:47 Po' Man's Ecstacy lyrics BUY MP3 06:47 Po' Man's Ecstacy lyrics "GIFT MP3" 06:47 Po' Man's Ecstacy
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:28 3 Guesses lyrics BUY MP3 04:28 3 Guesses lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:28 3 Guesses
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 05:38 Are We Having Fun Yet? lyrics BUY MP3 05:38 Are We Having Fun Yet? lyrics "GIFT MP3" 05:38 Are We Having Fun Yet?
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:27 Pocket Prayer 3 lyrics BUY MP3 02:27 Pocket Prayer 3 lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:27 Pocket Prayer 3
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 07:28 The Intrepid Storm lyrics BUY MP3 07:28 The Intrepid Storm lyrics "GIFT MP3" 07:28 The Intrepid Storm
The debut CD by bassist/composer Brad Jones and his band, Aka Alias. He has toured and recorded with artists such as Ornette Coleman, Elvis Costello, Deborah Harry, David Byrne, Elvin Jones, Muhal Richard Abrams, and more
Editorial review
Bassist Jones presents his contemporary funk/pop/rap band Aka Alias, using jazz undercurrents. Helpmates include electric guitarist David Gilmore, keyboardist Jeff Lawrence, alto saxophonist and flutist Bob Debellis, drummer Abe Fogel, trombonist Curtis Fowlkes on one cut, D.K. Dyson singing on two, Beans rapping on another two. The best instrumental work here is "Drag Queen Races" (can't resist the title either, ) replete with the band collectively vocalizing a five second Top Fuel run, and incredible flute and guitar unison lines written and played to strict tolerances and stunning effect. A 5/4 rhythm with Fender Rhodes makes for a clever combination buoying this inventive music. There are three "Pocket Prayers, " #1 being an overdubbed bowed and plucked bass, the latter quite kora-like, #2 a faded in alto sax and bop oriented piano line, the most jazz you'll find, while #3 is a rap from Jones. Beans raps on the hard, hip funk of "Black Bread," and hip hop "Po' Man's Ecstacy," intro'd by buzzing bass. This is one of a couple of tracks where you can hear it's live at the Knitting Factory, and a pretty chatty crowd it is. Dyson's features are in the progressive soul bag, and her lovely voice comes through clearly on "Hope Road" and "The Intrepid Storm." By contrast "Three Guesses" is the most avant, with ostinato bass asking a million questions, Lawrence's piano with more pointed inquisition, and Gilmore's urban landscape guitar intensifying the funky backdrop. Whether this is actually good or completely derivative music will be up to the individual listener. It would seem that these sounds are rooted in more simplistic styles, while Aka Alias is trying to juice it up with some rather vague complexities that in many instances, is questionable whether they really work or not. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
Bio / Background
New York born bassist/composer, Brad Jones, has worked with a wide variety of artists representing different genres of music that include Ornette Coleman, Elvis Costello, Elvin Jones, Deborah Harry, Muhal Richard Abrams, Uri Caine, John Zorn,David Byrne, Carlos Garnett, Marc Ribot, Vernon Reid, and the Jazz Passengers. In the past few years, he has been mainly touring and recording with trumpeter/composer Dave Douglas in several of his projects as well as playing in the groups of guitarist/composer David Gilmore, and pianist/composer Anthony Coleman.
In 1997, he released his debut cd as a leader on the Knitting Factory label entitled "Uncivilized Poise" with his band, Aka Alias. He has just recently completed recording a CD with his new project "The Brad Jones Quartet" and is planning to record the next Aka Alias CD some time in the Fall of 2003.