Zu (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Zu
Background = group_or_band
Years_active = 1999-present
Origin = Rome
Genre = Avant-garde
Free jazz
Math rock
Punk jazz
URL =
Current_members = Luca Mai
Massimo Pupillo
Jacopo BattagliaThe Zu are an Italian punk jazz trio from Rome.

Biography

Zu formed in Rome in 1997, where they began as composers and players for theatre performances. The band is composed of three members: Luca Mai on baritone saxophone, Massimo Pupillo on bass and Jacopo Battaglia on drums. The band have released thirteen albums, including a live album and two splits, and played in festivals in Europe and America. In 2006 the band toured with the Fantômas Melvins Big Band, a superband which is a fusion of Fantomas and the Melvins.

The band are members of the italian folk-jazz group Ardecore.

Style

The band's music is a fusion of hardcore punk, free jazz and noise rock. Zu's style, despite changes over the years, is improvisation-based, with hardcore-like rhythmic sections and free-jazz based saxophone solos.

One constant element in Zu's music is collaboration, and many of the band's albums are billed as collaborations with a guest musician (such as Mats Gustafsson, Eugene Chadbourne, and Nobukazu Takemura). Often, a collaborator will join them at live performances as well. Members of the band also collaborate with other musical projects, most of which exist only as live performances.

Reception

The band's album "Radiale", recorded with Bob Weston, was placed in "The Village Voice"'s jazz poll for 2004.

John Zorn described the band as creating "a powerful and expressive music that totally blows away what most bands do these days".

Personnel

*Luca Mai – baritone saxophone
*Massimo Pupillo – bass
*Jacopo Battaglia – drums

Major collaborators

*Eugene Chadbourne – guitar on "The Zu Side of the Chadbourne" and "Motorhellington"
*Jeb Bishop – trombone on "Igneo"
*Mats Gustafsson – saxophones on "How to Raise an Ox"
*Xabier Iriondo – on "Zu/Iceburn"
*Fred Lomberg-Holm – cello on "The Way of the Animal Powers"
*Nobukazu Takemura – on "Identification with the Enemy - A Key to the Underworld"
*Spaceways inc. (band) – on "Radiale"
*Roy Paci – trumpet on "Bromio"
*Mike Patton – vocals on some live dates
*Ken Vandermark – saxophones on "Igneo"

Discography

*"Bromio" (Wide/Southern, 1999)
*"The Zu Side of the Chadbourne" (Felmay, 2000)
*"Motorhellington" (2001)
*"Igneo" (Red Note/Amanita/Wide/Wallace, 2002)
*"Live in Hellsinki" (2003)
*"Radiale" (Atavistic, 2004)
*"The Way of the Animal Powers" (Xeng, 2005)
*"How to Raise an Ox" (Atavistic/Touch and Go, 2005)
*"Spiritual Healing" (Zu vs. Dälek) (Wallace, 2005)
*"Rai Sanawachi Koe Wo Hassu" (Macaroni, 2006)
*Zu/Iceburn (split) (2006)
*"Identification with the Enemy: A Key to the Underworld" (Atavistic, 2007)
*Zu/Teatro Degli Orrori (split 10") (2007)
*Zu/Xabier Iriondo/Damo Suzuki (10", 2008)
*Untitled album featuring Mike Patton on vocals (2009)
*Untitled album feat. The Melvins on one song (2009) [According to Zu's website http://www.zuism.com/news.html]

ee also

*Gronge

External links

*allmusic|11:gjfpxqqjldde
* [http://www.zuism.com Zu official web page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/zuband Myspace]