Amongst the chaos and confusion of post-pandemic New York City, local experimental outfit, Nu Jazz, has emerged and solidified its place as a unique and forward-thinking group of artists that absorb and thrive on the feeling of pandemonium, all while making sense of it. The core group of musicians is mostly known for its contributions to the Brooklyn electronic, ambient, and jazz scenes, and plays as/with artists such as Deli Girls, CGI Jesus, Ex Wiish, Murderpact, Beshken, and The Beak Trio. The band has also featured some of the best musicians the Jazz and electronic music world has to offer. They have shared the stage in New York and across Europe with luminaries such as Jaimie Branch, Jason Lindner, Tomoki Sanders, Leya, Nkisi, Poncili Creacíon Alfredo Colón, Evicshen, and Idris Frederick to name a few.
With sounds and ideas ranging from simmering drones, to angular avant jazz musical conversations, to vast synthesized soundscapes, to guttural metallic breakdowns, the ensemble can build and decay for seemingly endless periods of time or turn on a dime. Produced at Shirken's studio 5950.exp, the records contain influences that range from musical styles as disparate as drum n’ bass, metalcore, ambient, and the jazz that has come before. Nu Jazz exists in the cracks between these seemingly alien styles but excels in connecting them in ways both familiar and unexpected, all while constantly diving headlong into sounds yet uncharted. There is never even a micron of pulp in the music this group makes. It’s always unfiltered emotion, always in 6th gear, and always reacting to what surrounds it, be it the musicians, the audience, or its environment.
