CHICAGO ODENSE ENSEMBLE

Chicago Odense Ensemble biography
CHICAGO ODENSE ENSEMBLE is a new international project consisting of members of the American post-rock band TORTOISE, the Danish space rock band CAUSA SUI and of the American jazz group CHICAGO UNDERGROUND COLLECTIVE (already connected to TORTOISE via the shared guitarist Jeff Parker). The project was born in 2008 when Jonas Munk and Jakob Skøtt came from Denamark to stay and play in Chicago, leading to memorable improvisation sessions that were later edited, arranged and enriched by Jonas Munk in his Odense studio. The material was released as a self-titled album in 2011.

The music of C.O.E. sounds like the natural consequence of the combined pedigrees of the players: jazz brass and lead guitar flourish over groovy TORTOISE-like song-structure and psychedelic soundscapes. The eclecticism of the music makes it very interesting to place it in a very complex net of musical influences, connections and references. The experimental jazz side of TORTOISE and other early post rock bands (TALK TALK, .O.RANG, PRAM) can hardly be denied after such an emphatic statement. More recent jazz-based post rock bands such as KAMMERFLIMMER KOLLEKTIEF, BELL ORCHESTRE or TUNA LAGUNA and post-rock influenced Nu-Jazz based bands such as JAGA JAZZIST (already connected to TORTOISE) or SPECIAL OTHERS also spring to mind. The officially declared influences range from early '70s psychedelic fusion (MILES DAVIS, HERBIE HANCOCK) to kraut/space rock (POPOL VUH), and it its jazziest moments the music resembles that of Nu-Jazz artist NILS PETTER MOLVAER. Finally, it should be mentioned that similar sounding results were also achieved on the In The Fishtank album resulted from the collaboration between the psychedelic band MOTORPSYCHO and the post-rock influenced Nu-Jazz band JAGA JAZZIST.

In conclusion, CHICAGO ODENSE ENSEMBLE represents one of the finest recent efforts in the experimental area and a very revelatory one in what crossing boundaries and the essence of experimental / post rock are concerned.

Bio by Alex (harmonium.ro)