It's been what, like 18 hours since my first post? Try not to get too excited. This kind of cadence will definitely not be the norm. But like any good creative with ADHD tendencies, I can't help but hyper-focus for a day or so at least. Besides, better to get the ball rolling down hill.
Those who know me and have access to my library (thank you Plex), will know I have pretty wide and varied tastes. Everything from the masters of Bop, to classic and southern rock stalwarts, late 70's and 80's art and synth-pop, to improvisational rock from the likes of Phish and more recently Goose. Like everyone, I have my favourites on repeat and I fall into patterns where I'll binge nothing by '72 Dead shows for an entire week. Trust me, there's worse things you can feed your ears for hours on end.
But there's nothing like hitting play on an album from an artist or band you've barely heard of and getting that "how has this been missing from my life?" feeling.
Today I was introduced to a band called Octave Cat by way of their brand new album, Sprezzatura. The jazz-fusion sound delivers a distinct 70's electro vibe with Headhunters era Herbie Hancock playing large, bolstered by the kind of modern touches you'd expect from a Medeski, Martin & Wood album were it to show up on your doorstep in 2023.
The trio, comprised of Jesse Miller of Lotus on bass and modular synths, Eli Winderman of Dopapod on electric piano and Moog Prodigy, and Charlie Patierno on drums, is not what I expected to be listening to today. Especially given how different their sound is from the Tedeschi Trucks show I was just going on and on about. You know, the one that apparently opened my eyes (and ears) to what a lazy fuck of a writer I'd been? That one.
Just one more reason to let the music guide me, I suppose.
Once you're done with Octave Cat and looking for a few other options in the genre or near adjacent tones, I highly recommend the following bands:
Stay tuned.
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