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The truth that you possibly can hearken to a brand new album by John Lurie (a minimum of in
elements) whereas he’s nonetheless alive is spectacular information in itself. For a lot of, he
has fallen into oblivion and is extra a case for “What occurred to …?“
columns. But, he was an actual star within the Eighties, a hipster par excellence.
Nearly everybody wished to be like him. Others nevertheless, couldn’t stand him.
Each side had one thing going for them. Lurie had the good jazz band of
the time (The Lounge Lizards), he was a good friend of Tom Waits, he performed the
main roles in Jim Jarmusch’s movies (e.g. Stranger Than Paradise and Down
By Legislation), he wore outsized, ultra-sharp fits. On prime of all of it, he was
informal, spindly, greater than six toes tall and gave the impression to be as much as his
eyeballs with indifference. His instrument was the alto saxophone. The truth that
he was not a virtuoso like Charlie Parker didn’t matter, as a result of he
invented Faux Jazz, and that led to No Jazz and the scene across the CBGBs
in New York within the late Nineteen Seventies and early 80s. He was merely in the proper
place on the proper time and he had goddamn charisma. Lurie carried out
efficiently with the Lounge Lizards in numerous line-ups till the top of
the nineties and he wrote the soundtracks for movies akin to Get Shorty and
Lulu On the Bridge. He based his personal label, Unusual and Lovely, and
developed the fully bonkers TV sequence Fishing with John.
Then nevertheless, his luck took an enormous blow. He was struck with extreme Lyme
illness in 1994, which closely affected him, together with the lack of his
capability to play the saxophone. Lyme illness additionally led to his resolution to
isolate and distance himself socially. However Lurie – the multi-talent that he
has all the time been – needed to maintain producing artwork. He began portray footage
in vibrant earth tones and with unconventional fauna. Portray turned a
supply of pleasure for him and a strategy to overcome the challenges he confronted, since –
as if Lyme illness wasn’t sufficient – he additionally received most cancers. Ultimately, in
December of 2022, he introduced on social media channels that he could be
producing a brand new present for HBO referred to as Portray With John. He described it as
a strategy to cheer individuals up throughout these tough occasions. Within the present, Lurie
paints in his secret hideout within the Caribbean. He tells tales from his
life, together with his experiences as a jazz saxophonist, movie and tv
composer and actor. As in Fishing with John, he combines the concept of
portray with non-art: Portray with John might be essentially the most adventurous
artwork academy ever broadcast.
What’s extra, every little thing appears to have come full circle, as Lurie has
returned to music. Portray With John, the album, is the soundtrack to his
HBO present. The 56 tracks are fragments each from former releases, e.g. from
his soundtracks to Manny and Lo and African Swim with the John Lurie
Nationwide Orchestra, and Marvin Pontiac, the re-animated discography of the
fictional bluesman he created, in addition to from previous Lounge Lizards materials
(Queen of All Ears). However what’s most attention-grabbing is the brand new materials.
Lurie has composed all the brand new tracks, he’s on vocals and performs banjo,
guitar and harmonica. His band is superb as all the time: It consists of Doug
Wieselman (guitar, clarinet, ocarina, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet),
Steven Bernstein (trumpet, slide trumpet), Michael Blake (tenor and soprano
saxophone), Artwork Baron, Curtis Fowlkes and Clark Gayton (trombones), Evan
Lurie (piano), Smokey Hormel (guitar), Bryan Carrott (marimba, vibes), Jane
Scarpantoni (cello), Tony Scherr (electrical and acoustic bass, slide
guitar), Calvin Weston (drums), and Kenny Wollesen (percussion, marimba,
vibes).
And the result’s a lot greater than only a nice shock. It’s
significantly heartwarming to listen to the nice man sing and communicate once more, for
instance on “Ali Hum“ and “Night time Hunters“, African desert blues tracks that
might be discovered on a Tamikrest album as effectively. On “Humba“ and “Boomba!“ Lurie
merely mumbles one phrase to himself, which is each humorous and meditative.
“New Opening“, “John and Calvin Wah Wah“ and “Child Pigs“ are very
delta-bluesy and remind me of a contemporary John Lee Hooker. But, the highlights
of the album are actually tracks which might be within the Lounge Lizards custom.
On “Disappearing Alligator“,“The Snake That Protects Tooth“,“GB 14“, Sea
Monster“ and “Helium Balloon“ the interaction of transient harmonic shifts, small
motivic strands and minimalist groove develops a hypnotizing tapestry of
sound.
I’ve to confess that I’ve been very moved listening to this music (which
I’ve finished over and over in the previous few weeks). Particularly the Lounge
Lizards reminiscences transport you again to the early Nineteen Nineties, it looks as if
time has stood nonetheless. Portray with John comforts me once I’m feeling down.
Once I’m in a very good temper, I really feel even higher. “This can be the very last thing I
do“, Lurie says. “I would like it to be lovely.“ I hope it’s not the final
factor you hear from John Lurie. Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly lovely.
Portray with John is accessible on double vinyl and as a obtain. You may
order it right here.
Take a look at the band jamming right here:
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