Various Artists - Qbico U-Nite VI & VII, Detroit & Buffalo, USA (2010)

Various Artists - U-Nite VI & VII, Detroit & Buffalo, USA (Qbico, 2010)

Tracklisting and personnel:

U-Nite VI
Bohemian National Ballroom, Detroit
Nov. 16, 2006

side A
Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers:

Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto sax
Mike Carey - bass clarinet, tenor sax
Skeeter C.R. Shelton - soprano, alto, tenor sax, flute
Mike Gilmore - vibes
Mike Johnston - bass
Nick Ashton - drums, percussion

a1. Emerging field
a2. Half life (with special guest Perry Robinson on clarinet)


side B
Muruga and the Global Village Ceremonial Band:

Muruga Booker - Drums & Percussion
Belita Woods, Treylewd, Louie “Babblin” Kabbabie - Vocals
Vittala Bookvich - Percussion
Richie “Shakin” Nagan - Shakers
Perry Robinson - Clarinet
Mark Hershberger - Saxophone
Ralph Koziarski - Saxophone & Percussion
Ken Kozora - Zen Drum & Keyboards
Richard Smith - Bass
George Kerby - Guitar

b. Self A Dilic Funk


side C
Odu Afrobeat Orchestra:

Adeboye Adegbenro - vocals, tenor and alto saxophones
Chris Facini - guitar
Chad Gilchrist - guitar
Joel Peterson - bass
Kevin Callaway - drums
Akunda Brian Hollis - conga
Faruq Z. Bey - alto sax
Michael Carey - tenor saxophone
Marko Novachcoff - baritone sax
William Townley - trombone

c1. Machine Gun
c2. Kakati Yaga


U-Nite VII
Soundlab, Buffalo (presented by Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center)
Nov. 18, 2006

side D
Steve Baczkowski/Ravi Padmanabha

Steve Baczkowski - baritone sax, tenor sax, pungi
Ravi Padmanabha- drums, percussion, pungi

d1. Malleus
d2. Incus
d3. Stapes


side E
Andrew Barker & Daniel Carter

Andrew Barker - drums, percussion
Daniel Carter - flute, clarinet, alto sax

e. improvisation


side F
Arthur Doyle Electro-Acoustic Ensemble

Arthur Doyle - voice, alto sax
Nuuj - electronics
Dave Cross - turntables
Tim Poland - clavinova
Vin Paternostro - Korg EA-1
Ed Wilcox - percussion, drums

f1. Cave dross
f2. Crass dove

Memorable and probably unrepeatable two qbico u-nites rec. in Detroit & Buffalo in 2006. worths mentioning: Perry Robinson jamming with Faruq Z. Bey and Northwoods Improvisors, Muruga Free Funk Band in full glory with the lovely Belita Woods and members of P-Funk, like Louie “Babblin” Kabbabie from Lebanon or Treylewd, Perry too (audience got carried away and i saw people dancing on top of other people shoulders ?!) ! Odu Afrobeat Orchestra led by Fela’s alumni Adeboye Adegbenro (sax/vocals/real deal) in which also Faruq played that night, Steve Baczkowski/Ravi Padmanabha with an hypnotic pungi duo, a long and fascinating improvisation by Andrew Barker/Daniel Carter (qbico 02) and finally what’d be one of the very last rec. of the Arthur Doyle Electro-Acoustic Ensemble with nearly all his original members. from afro-jazz, funk and afro-beat to free jazz/free music and outer space... more then two hours of great lake music! [qbico]

"I just randomly chucked a side of this Qbico triple LP compilation on, not having the vaguest notion of where to start, and I'm straight into the groove with the Odu Afrobeat Orchestra, not an outfit I've heard before but one I'll be doing my best to check out in the future on the basis of the fine Fela-invoking leads and grooviest of rhythms. Elsewhere you've got some crazy drum skills from Ravi Padmanabha fighting for and against some super crazy sax tones from Steve Baczkowski, a quite unique-sounding set from Arthur Doyle's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble, a cracking set from Andrew Barker and Daniel Carter that flows from laid-back club tones into the occasional violent eruption, Faruq Z. Bey's outing with the Northwood Improvisers which starts off with swing-laden bop before collapsing into an every-man-for-himself noise orgy and the jazzy funk of Muruga and the Global Village Band. I wish I had time to listen to all of this properly 'cos the vast majority of it sounds pretty mega". [by Brett]

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