AIRMW presents Drazek Fuscaldo with Tatsu Aoki feat. Jörg Schneider
Tickets $20, Doors 8pm, Show 8:30pm
Drazek Fuscaldo (formerly Mako Sica) is the dynamic, freeform duo Przemyslaw Krys Drazek (electric trumpet, mandolin, electric guitar) and Brent Fuscaldo (vocals, electric bass, harmonica, thumb piano, gong, percussion).
They are composers who transcend categorical confines but weave together ideas that, as Dereck Higgins puts it “sound like group meditation.” They invite the spirit of improvisation when joined by guest musicians. Their ongoing collaboration with percussion master Hamid Drake has resulted in multiple live performances and releases on the Feeding Tube and Astral Spirits labels. The most recent album June 22 features legendary Chicago artists Joshua Abrams, Tatsu Aoki and Thymme Jones.
As Byron Coley writes, “I have always felt these guys operate in the same post-punk universe as the Sun City Girls, blending free psych, free jazz, free world, and avant garde impulses into something that probably could have existed in a pre-Sun City universe. But where SCG were constant maximalists, DF accepted the minimal as an equally powerful compositional gambit.”
Jörg Schneider, who is a German drummer active in the worldwide DIY scene since the beginning of the nineties. He was the driving force behind the legendary Blu Noise label with one of his former bands, Les Hommes Qui Wear Espandrillos. He toured for nearly thirty years around the globe with over 2000 shows and over 15 American and Canadian Tours. His unique drumming style, kind of NOISE ROCK, heavily jazz influenced, playing with odd meter phrasing, is documented on over 90 releases so far. Former bands include: Jealousy Mountain Duo, Nicoffeine, Tarngo and Fischessen to name a few.
During the last five years he has explored new territories in the world of free impro noise with collaborators like Tim Dahl from New York, Patrick Shiroishi and Paul Lai from Los Angeles, Dirk Serries from Belgium, or THIS QUIET ARMY from Montreal, just to name a few. His current band and live projects include TEEN PRIME, and THE NUDE SPUR from Berlin and noise makers ROJI from Lisbon.
Tatsu Aoki, is a leading advocate for the Asian American community, as well as a prolific composer and performer of traditional and experimental music forms, a filmmaker, and an educator. Born in 1958 into the Toyoakimoto artisan family, and performing by age four. By the early 1970s, Aoki was active in Tokyo’s underground arts movement with experimental arts and music. In 1977, Aoki left Tokyo and is now one of the most in-demand performers of bass, shamisen, and taiko, contributing more than ninety recording projects and touring internationally during the last 40 years. He is noted for being the longest associated bassist for the late Chicago legend Fred Anderson. Aoki is a Founder and Artistic Director of Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival, which celebrated its twenty-third anniversary (2018). His sustained and intensified endeavors resulting in awards from multiple cultural and musical organizations for his cross-cultural collaborations. In summer of 2016, his Miyumi Project ensemble was chosen as the official musical presenters for the unveiling of Yoko Ono's installation, "SKYLANDING" in Chicago's own Jackson Park; which also resulted in the group recording the album "SKYLANDING", produced by Yoko Ono. In 2017, the group contributed their unique vibe to the soundtrack of the Japanese American Incarceration film documentary: "And Then They Came for Us", and released the corresponding album. In May of 2018, Aoki was honored as the first recipient of the “George Award”, for his years of support, recording, and performance with renowned American Jazz and soul guitarist George Freeman.
In addition to directing and composing film projects, Aoki toured as part of Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble, performing on a world tour for her “Mandorla Awakening II” project; and was also awarded the 2019 Community Service award from the Asian American Coalition of Chicago for his continued leadership and contribution to the community.
Newest in his arsenal of works, he recorded two vinyl albums, released by FPE records, with his alternative rock band ‘Bass Dreams minus B’, an homage to his favorite bass players and his favorite pastime- Wrestling.
Website:
drazekfuscaldo.com
Music:
https://drazekfuscaldo.bandcamp.com/album/june-22-2
Press:
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-jazz-experimental-music-2023/