Sons of Kemet tuba player Theon Cross released his debut solo album, FYAH, today. If you're familiar with that group or the recent UK jazz scene, whose members frequently play together in various combinations, you probably have some idea what to expect - there's a heavy New Orleans influence, but also elements of hip-hop and contemporary dance music. (Unlike Sons of Kemet's last album, there are no vocals.) However, Cross usually works in a trio with saxophonist Nubya Garcia and drummer Moses Boyd here, with his own instrument sounding a bit like a distorted bass guitar (or low-end electronics, on some songs.) Boyd's musicianship actually impresses me the most. He carries the album through complex, constantly changing rhythms, and maintains a jazz sense of swing while also keeping up a groove. As Bandcamp's notes suggest, his drumming on "Radiation" evokes J Dilla's slightly off-the-beat drum machine programming and use of samples. The final song, "LDN's Burning," isn't a Clash cover, but it fittingly branches out into phasing and effects that seem inspired by dub. For all the other genres I've brought up, this never turns into a trendy or simplistic exercise in layering tuba and sax over breakbeats.
