Norwegian double bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten is no stranger to the European (free) jazz scene. He’s mainly known as a member of superb trio The Thing, together with saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love. To a broader audience, The Thing is best known for The Cherry Thing, their collaboration with Neneh Cherry. Indeed, the album was also a tribute to her stepfather Don Cherry.
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten also runs the annual Sonic Transmissions Festival in Texas, where recently fine folk like Ben LaMar Gay, James Brandon Lewis and Irreversible Entanglements played. Not coincidentally, all AB favourites.
Back in 2012, he established The Young Mothers: a powerhouse sextet of creative heavy-hitters from New York, Chicago and Texas who organically fuse free jazz, grindcore, hip-hop and experimental rock. That already led to three well)received albums: their debut A Mother’s Work Is Never Done (2014), Morose (2018) and their Better If You Let It that was released earlier this year.
The reviews didn’t lie: “One of the finest examples of jazz/hip-hop fusion”. Mojo “A group that treats genre distinctions with disdain - nothing is what it first seems on this one-way ticket to jazz’s other reaches”, wrote The Wire.
Line-up:
Jawwaad Taylor (US): rhymes/trumpet
Stefan Gonzalez (US): vibraphone/drums/vocal
Jonathan F Horne (US): guitar
Jason Jackson (US): tenor and baritone sax
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (NO): acoustic and electric bass
Frank Rosaly (US): drums and electronics