DARIUS JONES’s fLuXkit Vancouver (its suite but sacred)

With his raw, passionate saxophone sound, Darius Jones is currently making waves in the jazz avant-garde of New York. He’s also acclaimed as a composer. His recent album fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) resulted from a commission by Vancouver-based arts center Western Front. It led to a suite in which classical string instruments set the tone for sprawling and intense improvisations.

Alto saxophonist Darius Jones will now reform the ensemble with the musicians that can be heard on the album: drummer Gerald Cleaver from New York, plus four string players from Vancouver. The suite was partly inspired by the radical art movement Fluxus, which was active out of Western Front. But above all it’s a manifesto for artistic freedom and a confrontation against apathy and ego. The project led to critical acclaim in media such as Downbeat, Pitchfork and The Wire.

‘The raw, full-throated cry of Jones’ alto saxophone has long been one of the visceral pleasures of the improvising avant-garde’ (NPR).

Darius Jones alto sax/composer, Gerald Cleaver drums, Jesse Zubot violin, Josh Zubot violin, Peggy Lee cello, James Meger bass