Mostly Other People Do the Killing – This Is Our Moosic – Hot Cup Records, Hot Cup 082, 52:32 ****1/2:
(Peter Evans – trumpet; Jon Irabagon – saxophone; Moppa Elliott – double-bass; Kevin Shea – drums)
Although sharing some of the distinctives of other jazz deconstructionists such as The Bad Plus, J. A. Granelli & Mr. Lucky, Carlos Actis Dato, various Rob Reddy projects, and the Clusone Three (whom they credit as an inspiration)—wild eclecticism, rockish sensibilities, bombastic production—Mostly Other People Do the Killing carve out their own niche in 21st avant-garde century jazz circles. Trumpet player Peter Evans makes the strongest impression. Coming out of the Dave Douglas/Ralph Alessi school of extroverted, virtuoso modernism, he stamps this session with frenzied, dervish-like bla(s)ts of pure brass ballsiness. Not far behind is Jon Irabagon on sax, who unleashes his own Brotzman-esque tirades. Bassist Moppa Elliott, who wrote all the tunes save the Billy Joel cover, “Allentown” (each oddly featuring the name of a town in Pennsylvania), sounds like Charlie Haden on steroids. And Kevin Shea, a very extroverted drummer who favors the machine gun approach to his kit, constantly strops the frenetic edge to razor sharpness.
Loud, brash, cutting edge, these boys nevertheless display a method to their madness. That has to do with them letting the pieces seek their own level. Thus, a particular tune may undergo any number of fantastic metamorphoses—everything from boogaloo to military march to western swing to roadhouse blues to free romp to samba. Yes, it’s all rather hectic, and confusing, especially at first. But after a few listens, a crazy kind of logic begins to emerge, as well as surprising musical horizons of stark beauty: zaniness with a purpose. He who has an ear, let him hear. [And for he who is repelled by the disturbing name of this quartet, just ignore them as I did…Ed.]
TrackList:
Drainlick
Two Boot Jacks
Fagundus
The Bats in Belfry
East Orwell
My Delightful Muse
Biggertown
Effort, Patience, Diligence
Allentown
– Jan P. Dennis
