The Bloomdaddies (1996)

"A gifted saxophonist, Seamus Blake is a forward-thinking improviser with a distinctive approach to modern creative jazz and swinging post-bop. Emerging in the '90s, he came to wide acclaim after winning the 2002 Thelonious Monk Jazz Award. As a leader, he has also released a handful of his own adventurous acoustic jazz albums. He also leads the genre-bending funk and jazz-rock-influenced outfit the Bloomdaddies. Criss Cross is a bop-oriented label, so this particular release was a real departure. The music uses electronics a bit; the playing is open to the influences of the avant-garde and funk, and the instrumentation is a bit different: Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek on tenors, Jesse Murphy on electric bass and both Jorge Rossy and Dan Reiser on drums. With the exception of an eccentric version of "Sing, Sing, Sing," all of the tunes are originals by either Blake or Cheek, including such titles as "Hick As Heck," "Final Sauna" and "To Be Ornette to Be." An intriguing, if not essential set." (Allmusic)