Rating: NNNN
In Toronto, Andy Haas is best known for his years playing sax with new wave icons Martha and the Muffins. For the past two decades, though, he’s been living in NYC and is more closely associated with the experimental improv scene that came out of the no wave scene. His work often explores the interplay between electronics and live playing, and is pretty out-there. This newest addition to his discography is definitely not your typical jazz album, but it’s much more accessible than you might guess.
Unlike most improv, this album doesn’t focus on the interplay between musicians, as Haas is the only one playing an instrument. The other elements include his electronically generated loops and ambient textures, which are both rooted in the avant-garde tradition but much funkier than those in most experimental music. That approach could have led to a cheesy vibe, but Haas has a real talent for balancing the delightfully weird with the familiar. He takes a similar approach to song selection, mixing Cole Porter compositions, George Jones classics, early Ethiopian jazz and traditional Americana.
Top track: The Devil Is Loose In The World
