Syncopated Taint (noun): the term used by the 1st U.S. Drug Czar, Harry J. Anslinger, to describe the nation’s moral decay as caused by jazz and marijuana.
“Jazz to me has always been about taking the root and creating something new with it. For the Septet, we’re always listening to new things and all of those various influences assimilate into our collective sound,” says Skerik. As a rule of thumb, it seems that everything Skerik has a hand in equals automatic gold. Husky is no exception to this general rule; in fact, it may be the most solid album in Skerik’s discography. Fusing hip-hop and funk with a various assortment of other genres, the Septet cranks out the tightest, loose sound in years.
While their previous self-titled record on Ropeadope seemed more haphazard in a coming-together-at-the-last-minute sort of way,
Husky has a more robust polish to it. The last minute changes in direction are livelier, and the record is wrought with that certain edge. That edge being the difference between practicing by going through the motions and practicing with every bit of self one can muster, showing up to take the same piece of music past notch eleven.
Beyond the logistics, there is a deeper intelligence associated with it. Band members infuse their political leanings with the synergy of their sounds. “Go to Hell, Mr. Bush,” reflects an ardent cynicism toward the conservative suffocation of the jazz world. From John Wicks’ (drums) varying approaches to rhythm to Joe Doria’s erratic Hammond B-3 to the five-member strong horn line (including Craig Flory, Dave Carter, Hans Tueber, and Steve Moore), the passion of the musicians falls in line with the brazen nature of the tunes.
Balancing the sound of seven band members must take a good ear. On their previous effort, it proved a tad overbearing, but this time around the mix and dynamics create a perfect sound for its time.
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