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August 23–30, 2001
cd reviews|jazz
Chicago Underground Quartet
Chicago Underground Quartet
(Thrill Jockey)
When we last heard from our heroes in the Chicago Underground franchise, they were a four-piece trio — a fine example of fuzzy math. Their change in nomenclature here signals not only an acquiescence to the laws of arithmetic, but also an acknowledgment of the major role of fourth member Jeff Parker. His unaffected electric guitar is a defining sound on this album — whether it’s repeating percussive rhythmic phrases (as on the ambient-Afropop tune "Total Recovery"), limning poetically sparse solo lines ("Three in the Morning") or supplying a rolling drone ("A Re-Occurring Dream"). But as with the "post-rock" sound-wash of Tortoise (a group to which both Parker and engineer John McEntire belong), it makes little sense to isolate a single voice at any given time. Even the most astonishing improvisational moments — like Rob Mazurek’s otherworldly, synth-processed cornet solo on "Tunnel Chrome" — fit seamlessly into the textures of a song. As a result, Chicago Underground Quartet manages to emulate both the intelligent chaos of the AACM and the spooky minimalism of Brian Eno; "Nostalgia" visits both extremes, without apparent conflict. Post-jazz? Perhaps. At the very least, it represents a new brand of chemistry, and the most consistently vital album of this ensemble’s evolving career.
