You don’t always come across projects like this. Club d’Elf is decisively hard to describe, although easy to listen to. If we had to try, we’d say they encompass the best jazz-rock and free-jazz traditions, blending them with tribal and eastern elements plus hip-hop flair. A product of the late 90s, the group found its identity in fierce and borderless eclecticism, pushing the limits of what everyone thought was allowed. Emerging from Boston, Cub d’Elf is now reaching its 25th anniversary, celebrating it with a U.S. Tour and a digital re-release of their debut album, ‘As Above’, originally published exclusively on CD in 2000.
It feels like a time capsule, but it is also still incredibly relevant, showcasing how visionary and groundbreaking the project was. Championing Moroccan influences with jazz improv and folk solemnity, ‘As Above’ is a true trip into the abyss, an unexpected sonic journey that will kidnap you from reality and spit you out about two hours later with a totally different understanding of what music is.
The band features founder/bassist/composer Mike Rivard, drummer Dean Johnston, Moroccan oud player Brahim Fribgane, and Mister Rourke on turntables, along with an ever-evolving cast of players from the jazz, DJ, rock, and world music scenes of Boston, NYC, and beyond. The album, recorded live at Cambridge’s legendary subterranean venue, The Lizard Lounge, over six performances in 1999/2000, features twenty tracks that immortalize the early days of Club d’Elf‘s development and some amazing musical pairings, including the meeting of Reeves Gabrels (The Cure) and Joe Maneri, which is one of Rivard’s favorite mash-ups in the band’s history.
Recommended! Discover ‘As Above’ on Spotify and look our Club d’Elf’s upcoming U.S. Tour:
