11.20.2004
Pimpwiz.com's Peep This! : NOZMO KING
Nozmo King's "The Second System"
Nozmo King (Nozmo King Records). Formed in 1997 at Ithaca College, Nozmo King demonstrates on Second System that jazzed-up rock is alive and well...Nozmo's polished and precise horn arrangements serve a rather complex deconstructionist vision that's part modern and part classic.
Propelled by the progressive jazz-rock drumming of Aaron Jackson, Nozmo King skews its sound toward that of mainstream horn-and-harmony groups such as Earth, Wind and Fire...They also give a nod to contemporary funk-rockers such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Dr. Pocket.
On "Butterfly," however, keyboardist Aaron Velardi pumps out a classic Memphis soul organ riff, leading the listener to expect a knockoff of Booker T and the MGs. Yet this butterfly unexpectedly turns into a string-laden soul ballad, then becomes a soulful strut that sets up a powerful jazz explosion featuring saxophonist Mike Walls.
Lead singer Josh Keller wrote "Butterfly," and it features a complex song structure that might leave some pop music fans scratching their heads. Without the sharp-as-tacks musicianship, such complexity might indeed prove deadly, but Nozmo pulls it off as a tour de force of progressive funk and jazz.
John Brown's Body vocalist Elliot Martin makes an appearance on "Higher," a Nozmo original that borrows a bit from the traditional "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." The band builds upon the standard, giving it a jazz-inflected feel. Trumpeter Dave Szebeda delivers a solo worthy of the spotlight. Szebeda also adds a haunting horn introduction to the ballad section of "Acting Out."
...Produced by Alex Perialas and Nozmo King, and recorded at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca, The Second System showcases well the talents of this group. While the band derived its name from a Wynton Marsalis song, "Knozz-Moe-King," the pun hardly describes them. When these guys are hot, they're definitely zmoking." [Via Newstimes.com]
Nozmo King (Nozmo King Records). Formed in 1997 at Ithaca College, Nozmo King demonstrates on Second System that jazzed-up rock is alive and well...Nozmo's polished and precise horn arrangements serve a rather complex deconstructionist vision that's part modern and part classic.
Propelled by the progressive jazz-rock drumming of Aaron Jackson, Nozmo King skews its sound toward that of mainstream horn-and-harmony groups such as Earth, Wind and Fire...They also give a nod to contemporary funk-rockers such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Dr. Pocket.
On "Butterfly," however, keyboardist Aaron Velardi pumps out a classic Memphis soul organ riff, leading the listener to expect a knockoff of Booker T and the MGs. Yet this butterfly unexpectedly turns into a string-laden soul ballad, then becomes a soulful strut that sets up a powerful jazz explosion featuring saxophonist Mike Walls.
Lead singer Josh Keller wrote "Butterfly," and it features a complex song structure that might leave some pop music fans scratching their heads. Without the sharp-as-tacks musicianship, such complexity might indeed prove deadly, but Nozmo pulls it off as a tour de force of progressive funk and jazz.
John Brown's Body vocalist Elliot Martin makes an appearance on "Higher," a Nozmo original that borrows a bit from the traditional "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." The band builds upon the standard, giving it a jazz-inflected feel. Trumpeter Dave Szebeda delivers a solo worthy of the spotlight. Szebeda also adds a haunting horn introduction to the ballad section of "Acting Out."
...Produced by Alex Perialas and Nozmo King, and recorded at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca, The Second System showcases well the talents of this group. While the band derived its name from a Wynton Marsalis song, "Knozz-Moe-King," the pun hardly describes them. When these guys are hot, they're definitely zmoking." [Via Newstimes.com]
