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Fly Or Die II

Sitting at the table writing a letter one Friday evening I heard something on the radio that made me put down my pen and pay close attention. It was 'Love Song' by jaimie branch, one of a few tracks from the album Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise that Iggy Pop, no less, had played on his weekly BBC radio show. After watching some clips of branch and her band on-line I wasted little time ordering a copy of the album on CD. Of all the recent jazz or jazz-infused recordings I've heard, this is the one I like best.

Branch plays trumpet, and contributes vocals on two of the tracks. Conventionally enough, her quartet also includes a bassist (Jason Ajemian) and a drummer (Chad Taylor). Much less conventionally, there is also a cellist (Lester St. Louis). Though the group is based in New York, the album was recorded in London. 

There is the eerily low-key 'Birds of Paradise'. There are the hypnotic grooves of 'Simple Silver Surfer' and 'Nuevo Roquero Estéreo'. And there are the impassioned 'Prayer For Amerikkka' and the showstopping 'Love Song' with its dedication "This one goes out to uhh - all those assholes - all those clowns out there --- you know who you are"). I love this album!

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