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Universal Congress Of are an American
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
ensemble from Los Angeles, formed in 1986.


History

The project was started by guitarist-vocalist
Joe Baiza Joe Baiza (born January 11, 1952) is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Most of Baiza's music touches on a fusion of punk rock and jazz. Eugene Chadbourne cites Baiza as one of the most noteworthy guitarists to emerge from the South ...
after his previous group
Saccharine Trust Saccharine Trust is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1980 by singer Jack Brewer and guitarist Joe Baiza. The band would frequently perform with SST labelmates Minutemen and Black Flag. However, Baiza descri ...
went on hiatus. The new ensemble continued to develop the fusion of
free jazz Free jazz, or free form in the early to mid-1970s, is a style of avant-garde jazz or an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventi ...
and
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
that Saccharine Trust began to explore. Congress' approach to
free jazz Free jazz, or free form in the early to mid-1970s, is a style of avant-garde jazz or an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventi ...
has earned them comparisons to
Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, violinist, and composer. He is best known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Ja ...
and
James Blood Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues music, blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been ...
, while the group themselves have pointed to
Albert Ayler Albert Ayler (; July 13, 1936 – November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. After early experience playing rhythm and blues and bebop, Ayler began recording music during the free jazz era of the 1960s. Ho ...
as a primary source of inspiration. The band's name was chosen "to reflect the open-ended nature of its music." The original line-up consisted of Baiza, Ralph Gorodetsky (bass), Jason Kahn (drums), Steve Moss (saxophone). Moss had played in an earlier incarnation of
Saccharine Trust Saccharine Trust is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1980 by singer Jack Brewer and guitarist Joe Baiza. The band would frequently perform with SST labelmates Minutemen and Black Flag. However, Baiza descri ...
alongside Baiza.


Legacy

In an issue of ''Mountain Bike'', bassist
Tim Commerford Timothy Commerford (born February 26, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for rock band Rage Against the Machine and supergroups Audioslave and Prophets of Rage. Since 2013 and 2015, respectively, he ha ...
of
Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to Rage) was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991. It consisted of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim ...
spoke of his admiration of the band's funky and jazz tinged style.


Discography

;Studio albums *'' Joe Baiza & The Universal Congress Of'' (1987, SST) *''
Prosperous and Qualified ''Prosperous and Qualified'' is the second studio album by free jazz ensemble Universal Congress Of, released in 1988 through SST. Track listing Personnel Adapted from the ''Prosperous and Qualified'' liner notes. ;Universal Congress ...
'' (1988, SST) *''
The Sad and Tragic Demise of Big Fine Hot Salty Black Wind ''The Sad and Tragic Demise of Big Fine Hot Salty Black Wind'' is the third album by free jazz ensemble Universal Congress Of, released on October 17, 1991 by Enemy Records. Track listing Personnel Adapted from ''The Sad and Tragic Dem ...
'' (1991,
Enemy An enemy or a foe is an individual or a group that is considered as forcefully adverse or threatening. The concept of an enemy has been observed to be "basic for both individuals and communities". The term "enemy" serves the social function of d ...
) *'' The Eleventh-Hour Shine-On'' (1992, Enemy) ;EPs *'' This Is Mecolodics'' (1988, SST) ;Live albums *'' Sparkling Fresh'' (1998, Hazelwood)


References


External links

*
allmusic Biography AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
Jazz ensembles from California Musical groups established in 1986 Musical groups from Los Angeles Enemy Records artists SST Records artists 1986 establishments in California {{US-jazz-band-stub