Alexander Flood laces some house vibes into the Jazz Underground this month
Australian drummer, bandleader, and producer, Alexander Flood sends the playlist aflight this month with ten new tracks for the Jazz Underground. I’ve been a big fan of Alexander’s flavor of percussive-led jazz for a couple of years now — starting with his excellent six-track album, Oscillate — so it’s an honor to have him take over the mix for us.
At the beginning of this year, Flood released his fourth full-length album, Artifactual Rhythm, where he perfectly blends a house rhythm into a jazz arrangement. I think what I’m so attracted to with Flood’s music is his command of rhythm. Whether it’s a track that leans more into the traditional side of jazz, or something that feels at home on the dancefloor, it’s his confidence to create space between the beats that is so alluring. In an interview with DownBeat a couple years ago, Flood puts it like this: “To me, rhythm is not the notes; it’s the space between the notes.”
For the Jazz Underground this month, Flood weaves a blend of low‑end rumble, and moody atmospheric jazz cuts into the mix. His selection starts out with new singles from Kuna Maze, Clear Path Ensemble, Azymuth, and Butcher Brown. Then the mix takes a twist with the one-two punch from Salin followed by Kokoroko. The Moses Yoofee Trio and Chiminyo provide the cherry on top. It’s a solid selection from top to bottom; can’t wait for you to get lost in the Jazz Underground:
If this is your first time listening to the Jazz Underground, here’s what you need to know: The Jazz Underground is a monthly feature where we enlist the musicians and producers who are pushing the boundaries of what jazz means to them. The idea is to change the perception of the music’s rotten public image — a genre that can sometimes be stuck in the past rather than something that is always evolving. Each month we invite a new resident artist to contribute and curate the playlist to reflect what jazz sounds like today.
Have a listen to the playlist, and if you like what you hear, make sure to follow the Jazz Underground playlist on Spotify.
