Skerik's Compersion Quartet w/ Brian Haas, James Singleton, Simon Lott

Skeriks Compersion Quartet w/ Brian Haas, James Singleton, Simon Lott LATE SHOW Sat, 5/2 (technically 5/3)Seattles beloved subterranean music iconoclast Skerik has long found the city of New Orleans a balm for his inherently subversive musical instincts. Currently calling the Crescent City his second home, the saxophonist fully embraces this dichotomy between the profane and ritualistic with Compersion Quartet, for which hes joined by pianist Brian Haas, bassist James Singleton and drummer Simon Lott. Recorded in New Orleans, the quartets debut collects a series of studio improvisations that are amalgamated in fits and starts of cinematic beauty, syncopated melodism and mystic sonic experimentalism.Compersion Quartet is in many ways an outgrowth of Saucefest, the multimedia festival within a festivalfounded and curated by Skerikthat happens annually on the middle Tuesday night of New Orleans Jazzfest when a disparate gathering of local and traveling musicians come together in various configurations for an evening of fearless, no-holds-barred musical collaboration.The history between the four of us goes way back, but this specific quartet would eventually come together through Saucefest, explains Skerik. I met Brian Haas in the early years of his trio Jacob Jazz Odyssey after he heard me with Critters Buggin. I used to play with Simon Lott in Malestrom Trio along with Brian Coogan. They were both part of the early Saucefest events. I started playing with James Singleton on Johnny Vidacovich gigs and in other combinations. He also did some early Saucefest performances. We share a related collective history. We all are from the same mother of music, siblings without rivalry.Throughout the albums 11 tracks, Compersion Quartet explores deconstruction and rebirth, while undermining the math of music through the enigmatic human vibrations intrinsic to improvisation. Like the green lizard adorning the albums cover art, just when the listener thinks theyve captured the essence, its tail detaches and it escapes back into the unknown.To us, Compersion Quartet means to support each other and everyone on earth. Lets leave it at that. I want there to be more mystery and less analytical talk about this music, concludes Skerik. Theres really no point in trying to describe the indescribable.