Artist: Ulterior Lux
Label: Fazzul Music
Release: 1997
Rating: 4.2/5
Adventures is yet another album from Ulterior Lux, the band led by two great musicians, Markus Stauss and Jean Chaine. This time Stauss is behind all the compositions, while Jean Chaine, who used to be the band’s leader (judging by the name of one of their albums), has been demoted to mere arranger and player. The duo is joined by Remi Strauly on drums and keyboards.
The music here doesn’t lean on rock as heavily as some of Stauss’s other projects. I’d even go as far as to call it free jazz. The jazz improvisations are way more obvious, but they’re played so well and are so inventive that it doesn’t bother me. There are also plenty of typical Stauss melodies, glowing with his love of life and sheer liveliness. There’s a lot of joy in his music, but he finds room for melancholy and intensity too. With him you never know what you’re going to get. And of course, the man doesn’t forget to throw in a few minimalist and avant-garde tricks to keep listeners hooked.
The music here is pretty basic, since there are only three guys in the band (if you’ve got Stauss in the lineup, you don’t really need more, they’d only get in the way), handling drums (plus keyboards), bass and, naturally, saxophone (with extras). All three are masters of their craft, wielding their instruments with outstanding know-how and skill, and proving yet again that right now the best music comes from “unknown” bands.
Ulterior Lux is more of a jazz project than any of Stauss’s other “adventures”, but that doesn’t make this album any less adventurous than his other records. His compositional chops are on full display here too. The musicians are outstanding all the way through, and not just Stauss, but every member. They know how to let go completely and stage a pure jazz freak-out, but they can also ease off and play the gentler parts. Another beauty in Stauss’s catalogue of jazz secrets, then. The man seems like an inexhaustible source of surprises and inspiration.
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Adventures is another album by Ulterior Lux, headed by two great players Markus Stauss and Jean Chaine. This time round, Stauss is responsible for all the compositions, while Jean Chaine, who used to be the leader of the band (assuming from the name of one of their alums), is reduced to the role of arranger and musician. The two men are joined by Remi Strauly on drums and keyboards.
The music here doesn’t really rely on rock as much as some of Stauss’s other offerings. One could almost say that this is almost free jazz. The jazz improvisations are much more apparent, but they’re always so well played and inventive that I don’t mind. There’s also an abundance of typical Stauss melodies, which shine with their catchiness, love for life and exuberance. I find a lot of joy in his music, but he also allows room for plaintiveness and intensity. You never know what to expect! He, of course, also doesn’t forget to include some minimalistic and avant-garde tricks to maintain your attention.
This is very stripped-down music. The band namely consists of only three players (with Stauss in the band, you really don’t need any more, they’d just get in the way) on drums (plus keyboards), bass and naturally saxophones (and extras). All three musicians are masters of their craft and handle their instruments with tremendous dexterity and skill, again proving the fact that the best music nowadays comes from the “unknown” bands.
Ulterior Lux are a jazzier project than Stauss’s other “adventures”, but that doesn’t mean that this album is any less adventurous than his other records. Stauss’s skills as a composer shine through on this one yet again. The playing is tremendous throughout, not just from Stauss, but from all the guys. They know how to completely let go and do a total jazz “freak-out”, but they can also chill out with some more mellow segments. Another beauty in Stauss’s catalogue of jazz secrets. He seems to be a never-ending source of surprises and inspiration.
Line-up
arkus Stauss – saxophones and extras
Jean Chaine – electric bass
Rémy Sträuli – drums, keyboards
Production
Markus Stauss
Tracklist
1. Shortstories
2. Jean’s 7 nightmares
3. In between
4. Kater Carlo
5. Deep inside
6. Again
7. Skyline
8. Twenty-six
9. A bientôt
