''Project Z'' is the debut album by the band of the same name. It was recorded at Southern Living At Its Finest in Atlanta, Georgia, and was released in 2001 by Terminus Records. On the album, core Project Z members

Jimmy Herring Jimmy Herring (born January 22, 1962) is an American guitarist, known as the lead guitarist for the band Widespread Panic since 2006. He is a founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit and Jazz Is Dead and has played with The Allman Brothers Ban ...

(guitar), Ricky Keller (bass), and

Jeff Sipe Jeff Sipe (born January 31, 1959), also known as Apt. Q258, is an American drummer. He works mainly in rock and jazz fusion. He is a founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit with Bruce Hampton. He was a member of Leftover Salmon and the Zambi ...

(drums) are joined by guest artists Rev. Oliver Wells (keyboards), Derek Trucks (slide guitar), Count M'Butu (congas), and Col. Bruce Hampton ("Z Phone"). According to

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

's Ann Wickstrom, the recording documented a session in which "top-drawer musicians who favor improvisation are given no boundaries, rules, restraints, pressures, or expectations... Terminus told the artists they could record anything they wanted to and it would be released." Herring recalled that the project was "about the lack of songs," with the goal being "to see how far we could get without songs. Just pure improvisation."

Reception

In a review for

, Ann Wickstrom wrote: "The intrinsic communication between the three musicians is staggering... Highly recommended." Author Dean Budnick stated that the band "perpetuates the musical ethos that is the essence of Zambi," Bruce Hampton's term for "approaching music in the moment, without ego." He described the album as "a constant flow of music," and noted that "Herring and Sipe are in fine fettle, with Keller a capable running buddy."

Track listing

# "Raging Torrent" – 3:59 # "Guitargument I" – 0:24 # "Mud Bug" – 6:23 # "Extra Cold" – 0:16 # "Augusta's Ankle" – 4:23 # "Psychic Flutter" – 0:18 # "Rainbow" – 5:23 # "Guitargument II" – 0:12 # "Albright Special" – 2:47 # "The Third Man" – 0:18 # "Genetic Drift" – 1:42 # "Yachtz" – 7:20 # "Guitargument III" – 0:33 # "Utensil Oceans" – 4:29 # "She Freak" – 0:30 # "Jean" – 0:40 # "Separated Gestures" – 6:54 # "Isolated Light" – 7:36

Personnel

– electric guitar, acoustic guitar * Ricky Keller – bass, disease piano *

– drums, percussion, underwater devices * Rev. Oliver Wells – organ, piano, synthesizer * Derek Trucks – slide guitar * Count M'Butu – congas * Col. Bruce Hampton – Z Phone

References

{{Reflist 2001 debut albums Project Z (band) albums