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ROLL CALL: Fri. March 31st: Jay Crocker w/ KAE SUN @ GYPSY HOOCH


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Here's a review of Jay's new album I wrote for View.

Jay Crocker and the Electric Apes

Melodies from the Outskirts

Saved by Radio

Jay Crocker, former lead singer and guitarist of fabled touring workhorse Recipe From a Small Planet, has emerged with his first release since the band called in quits two years ago. Along with

fellow Recipe-mate Steve Fletcher on keys and his nine-piece Electric Apes handling the rhythm and brass, Calgary’s Crocker has compiled a creative collection of intricately scored, large-

scale arrangements. These are wildly progressive, acid jazz exercises that flirt with straight-edged pop, classic Americana and familial roots rock. While a crammed earful at times, this

stylistic sludge works because of Crocker’s obvious attention to detail, formal training and understanding that no matter how eccentric and free each song is, the element holding the stew

together is its simple, consistent base. While Crocker’s songwriting is influenced by the ghosts of his old quartet,Melodies from the Outskirts, it is noticeably more concise, despite

consisting of more complicated arrangements. This is a matured songwriter who inherently understands that some elements are best left out rather than raggedly jammed in. [sS]

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  • 3 weeks later...

I caught a little bit of these guys last night at the Pepper Jack, I have to say I was incredibly impressed. It's just...fucking cool. There's lots of different jazz flavours, some swing, lots of orchestral pop a la Sgt Pepper with a pompadoured whiskey-voiced crooner's touch. Some moments where it dissolved completely into free jazz...the horn players were awesome, as was the keyboard player...shit, everybody! Go out and see this tonight, it's original and it's bloody cool!

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