With this release, Aja West of The Mackrosoft has conjured up a new funky jazz album filled with lush instrumentals, snaky percussion and world class drumming. Snakerhythms was born at an L.A. home studio party, hosted by the legendary Porcaro family of drummers and percussionists, with the idea of making a cacophony of percussive tracks.
Inspired by the music of Sun Ra and 70’s Miles Davis’ “On the Corner”, Snakerhythms is Aja West’s most ‘free jazz’ album, unique in his large portfolio of musical composition. The music is a reflection of Aja’s mood at the time of the recording, dealing with serious health issues and giving him a true ‘license to ill’. The album title comes from the slithery inner weaving of the various instruments and drums, with featured funky players running the scales down. The result is some cold blooded snaky jazz!
Featured players on Snakerhythms include the legendary Joe Porcaro. (In the jazz field, Joe has recorded with Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard and Don Ellis. He has also made albums with Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Natalie Cole, TOTO and Madonna). Also featured is Curt Bisquera (Johnny Cash, Mick Jagger, Seal, Sarah McLachlan, Elton John, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers among others). Auxiliary percussion features Dhani Harrison (George Harrison’s son) playing percussive sounds on his guitar.
All other instrumentation was overdubbed and recorded in Seattle with the Seattle branch of Mackrosoft players, including Hans Teuber (mainstay sax player on the Northwest jazz scene for over 25 years, working with THE WHO, Wayne Horvitz, and Jeff Johnson among others); Joe Doria, (Seattle’s famed funky organist) and Skerik, (a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics, and original member of both Les Claypool's Fancy Band and Frog Brigade).
These are only a few of the outstanding players on the album which also included multi generations of Porcaro’s making a ‘joyful noise’!
“Taking cues from his Steely idols, as well as another demigod, jazz producer Creed Taylor, Aja West has carefully crafted a string of meticulously executed studio albums, perfectly balanced with the spontaneous and improvised primal nature of jazz-fusion monuments like Miles Davis Star People. Aja breathes the same air as these geniuses of the past but is wildly time traveling in his mind. Future music now.” – Wax Poetics
credits
released September 28, 2018
Aja West: Conductor, Arranger, Editor, Snakemonkey
Stebmo: Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Snakemo
Hans Teuber: Melodica, Flute, Snake Eyez
Dave Carter: Trumpet, Reptilian Agenda
Geoff Harper: Bass, Funky Snakefoot
Dhani Harrison: Guitar, Diamondback
Danna Birdsall: Cello, Garden Snake
Curt Bisquera: Guitar, Snakehand
Skerik: Sax, Snake Charmer
Steve Black: Guitar, Venom
Joe Doria: Organ, Ssss
Producer: Sensei Cess Aja West Says Yes!
Mastering: King Cobra Mike Bozzi
Recording: The Mackrosoft Dojo and Joe's Garage
Art: Balinese Batiks by Unknown Javanese Artist, 1991
Publishing: The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me (BMI)
Design: Hemi P-Nice Leroy Smits and LaRoy Smits
Executive Producer: The Mackrosoft Anti-Venom
Specializing in hybrids of funk, fusion, soul, jazz, and electronic music, the Mackrosoft label and artist/manager Aja West (1976-2022) have released a steady stream of albums since 2000.
Excellent remix album, plenty of surprises, in some tracks very funky, other remaining more of deep and jazzy Hip-Hop samples.
Highly recommended for everyone looking for a complex trip, but easy to listen ! guy14