Led by composer/cornet player Rob Mazruker (Chicago Underground Duo/Trio/Quartet, Isotope 217) this 14-piece free-jazz ensemble has produced a genre-bending gem of an album, walking the fine line between being recognizably in the tradition of free-jazz orchestration and full blown experimentalism. These jams unfold against a far out theme,a narrative about a Sting Ray flying through the cosmos, and it comes with an accompanying poem/story to set the tone. We Are All From Somewhere Else also employs some interesting production techniques that add a subtle experimentalism and unique quality that distinguishes it from other similar groups, including using the sound of a tank of electric eels as the background for some improvisation.

The players, all talented in their own right, work well together, creating a dense tapestry of sounds and rhythms. Being comprised of so many strong improvisers, the music is understandably guided by the rotating solo players leading each tune, one of the stand outs being Mazurek himself. Even more prominent is Nicole Mitchell's flute playing, which guides most of the first movement, as well as Jeff Parker (of Tortoise fame), whose guitar playing, although being firmly grounded in jazz, comes the closest to being anything remotely 'rock' on this record. Commissioned by the Chicago Cultural Center and the Jazz Institute, We Are All From Somewhere Else leans heavily towards avant-garde classical and free-jazz, and will understandably be more palatable to fans of such music. Despite including members from popular Chicago bands such as Tortoise, Isotope 217, etc, ESO sounds little like any of its member's other projects. John McEntire's (Tortoise) production is recognizable, and adds a lot to the finished project, most notably the post-production edits such as those found in the second half of the album. Throughout the record, each member is given their time to make themselves heard, and it is interesting to observe how the themes rise and fall with the various instrumental changes.

The album is basically cut into two distinct parts, with a beautiful piano interlude to signal the change. The first half is more upbeat, while the second half has a far more somber tone. This change is explained by the accompanying poem/story, which  depending on your personality, will either come across as silly and unnecessary or will completely change the way you understand the progression of the record. The album is about an exploding star, cosmic transformations, a Sting Ray's travels through space, intelligent conversations with electric eels, the destructive potential of human beings, the death and ascension of the Sting Ray, whose ghost is transformed into a phoenix and becomes a new born star. (More interesting than “Peter and the Wolf,” no?) Mazurke imagines this narrative as a sort of children’s story for adults, and, as a visual artist himself, sees the theme as being very connected to the music. Although one does not need to keep this in mind when listening to the music, it certainly adds an emotional depth, which guides the playing and direction of the arrangements.

The first half of the album is comprised of four songs called “Sting Ray and the Beginning of Time” parts 1-4. The first two parts are high energy jams showing off Mitchell’s flute, Muzurek’s cornet, and Parker’s guitar playing, not to mention some incredibly tight drumming from John Herndon. The rest of the band are terrific as well, with the vibes, marimba, and bells providing laying down the solid repetitive foundation that the soloing is built on. There is more structure than one may immediately be lead to believe, and the sudden transition towards the end of “Sting Ray part 1” is an excellent example of this. As the tune begins to dissolve, a group improvisation kicks off, one whose chaos and beauty is perhaps reminiscent of cosmic transformation and an exploding star. Part 2 one of the strongest tracks of the album, featuring a more structured sound, and a tight, classic jazz melody. This song is also welcomingly short compared to the long, drawn out improves of part 1. Part 2 seems to correspond to the cosmic travels of the sting ray escaping the exploding star, and part 3 (“Psycho-tropic Eel Dream”) is the sting ray’s encounter with a group of electric eels. For this part, Mazurek recorded a tank of actual electric eels, using various sub-species to generate various tones and pitches, which end up sounding almost like violins. “Black Sun,” a delicate piano piece performed by Jim Baker, marks the turning point of the record/story, in which the Sting Ray dies. This short interlude leads into the second half of the album, 5 pieces called “Cosmic Tomes for Sleep Walking Lovers.” Part 1 is a chaotic jam worthy of Coletrane’s Ascension, but in part 2 it becomes an interesting groove working off of an almost Reich-ian repetition. Part 3 is a chill down-temp o groove featuring some electronics and post-production manipulation, making it the most distinct and interesting movements on the record. Part 4, “Fifteen Ways Towards A Finite Universe,” is a very short, bombastic, transition into the final outro of part 5, carried off by the mellow soling of Mitchell’s flute.

Although this is a fine record and a worthy achievement, it will certainly not be to everyone’s taste. We Are All From Somewhere Else is ambitious and strange, managing to be both conventional (as far as jazz influenced avant-garde orchestral music goes) and wildly experimental. Sonically is seems to run around the familiar territory of a loose jazz vibe, totally eschewing any rock tropes. The music is largely solo improvisation over established themes, whose direction is slowly progressed through use of heavy repetition. All this is subtly directed by a trippy narrative that accompanies the record. ESO have succeeded in injecting new energy into jazz, hopefully expanding the form's marketability to a younger crowd.

-Joseph Sannicandro