Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders - Captain's Bar, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom, May 10, 2025
You might not think that Stoke-on-Trent would be the place to enjoy some scorching dub-psych explorations — but you'd be wrong. For about 36 minutes this past spring, Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders got seriously dank at the Captain's Bar.
"100% all-improv set, completely on the fly," Alexander tells us. "We showed up to this 'tropical' bar in Stoke-on-Trent and immediately got in the mood. Aaron Dooley said hey let's play some dub and why not."
Great stuff, presented here in a very nice recording, capturing the Lidders — on this tour comprised of Alexander, Dooley, Drew Gardner and Scott Verrastro — in full flight. Free-form grooves, capped beautifully by an off-the-cuff Sun Ra cover. Righteous! If this puts you in the mood for more, Alexander's Bandcamp page is fully stocked with the goods — and you can subscribe for even more.
Jeffrey Alexander - right guitar, percussion, fife, vocal
Drew Gardner - left guitar
Aaron Dooley - bass
Scott Verrastro - drums, percussion
Aaron Dooley — The International Disassociation of (Centripetal Force/Island House)
This second outing of 2023 from Aaron Dooley’s seven-piece jazz ensemble shimmers and shifts, an indefinite haze of sound breaking, sporadically, for clear flights of melody. Dooley, a bass player out of Denver, plunks a subtle, unsettling undertow, allowing other instruments—pedal steel, saxophone, even drums—to slip to the forefront. All improvised, these cuts absorb multiple points of view into free-flowing inquiry, not muddying them, but softening the edges.
“Passing Tres” for instance weaves slow-moving textures of bass, percussion, saxophone and trumpet together, letting the drums float to foreground with their punches and cymbal shivers (that’s Diego Lucero on kit). It’s a luminous, somewhat indistinct sound with flares of fusion-y futurism, a musing, narcotic drift to it. A skirling saxophone, played by Gabriella Zelek, breaks through like a swimmer to the surface, the bass roiling deep underneath. “What About Being Alone” shifts the focus to Cooper Dickerson, his plaintive surges of pedal steel lifting out of the soundscape, while Zelek’s sax swirls and blows around him. “Reward of Consequence” provides space for Aesop Adams, the guitarist and Dooley’s partner in Osmium House, to let things rip.
The disc’s first three cuts are relatively concise. The last three stretch to wider horizons. “Westbound Alameda” does this in a lyrical, laid-back way, an elastic foundation of bass and struck percussion supporting flares of trumpet (Gavin Susalski), slithery runs of sax and, again, that gorgeous pedal steel. “Funeral of Fireflies” abstracts country pedal steel into abstract shapes, letting the thump and pound of percussion push it away from conventional twang. Adams, here, executes whistle-high harmonics that cut through the haze and Zuri Barnes sings warmly, evocatively in the background. It sounds like a slightly countrified version of Laraaji’s transcendental bliss. Dooley’s band is rooted in jazz, but not confined by it. The final track with its stand-up bass and swaggering horn line sounds the most like big band swing. It also allows the wildest bouts of brass improvisation, with Susalski arcing off into the stratosphere from a swaying, grounding foundation.
It's not easy to get even a couple of people on one page, let alone seven. These tracks show a still relatively new configuration of people finding their way together, making a shared path and diverging from it.
I've had the good fortune to catch Aaron Dooley and co. a couple of times this year — hopefully you have, too! But if not, this record serves as a more-than-worthy substitute. Dooley and his big band expertly walk the line between free-form improv and more intricate compositions, delving deep into psychedelia, spiritual jazz and various fusions thereof. There's dark, moody stuff alongside more melodic trips, horns and pedal steel meshing wonderfully with shimmery guitar work and strings, all grounded by Aaron's rich electric bass. But on the final track, "Jamais Vu," he plays acoustic upright, leading the ensemble into a luminous, loping "Journey In Satchidananda"-style tune that takes everyone into transcendental spaces.
Another great tape from Island House Recordings. Aaron Dooley's Trapped In Purgatory features four expansive pieces, each one free-floating but never meandering. The Denver-based bassist is joined by a big band of players who add djembe, saxophone, flute, dulcimer, dobro and more to these open-ended tunes. The highlight is on the 13-minute "Plainswalking" when the drift morphs into an almost Dead-worthy choogle, the musicians reaching a beautiful plateau, breaking out of purgatory and into ecstasy.
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Aaron Dooley is a bass player and composer, originally from Illinois but now living in Denver, Colorado. He has played in many different bands in a diverse array of genres, including the garage-psych Gay Neighbors, shoegaze-y Totem Pocket and neo-soul Dog Tags, but more recently has dipped into improvisation and jazz. Jennifer Kelly reviewed his most recent album, The International Disassociation of, noting that “This second outing of 2023 from Aaron Dooley’s seven-piece jazz ensemble shimmers and shifts, an indefinite haze of sound breaking, sporadically, for clear flights of melody. Dooley, a bass player out of Denver, plunks a subtle, unsettling undertow, allowing other instruments — pedal steel, saxophone, even drums — to slip to the forefront. All improvised, these cuts absorb multiple points of view into free-flowing inquiry, not muddying them, but softening the edges.” Here are ten of Dooley’s favorites.
Yusef Lateef — Cry! Tender
Around age 16, this was probably the first record I ever bought (thanks North Street Records), let alone the first jazz that ever gripped me. Something about the smooth-looking bald guy with a flute on the cover grabbed me, but the sounds coming from the platter kept me coming back again and again. Songs like “Dopolous” sway along with such eerie elegance that even the swing rhythms feel like a somber march. A fun tidbit, Ernie Farrow, Alice Coltrane’s half-brother, is playing bass on the album.
Shlohmo — Shlo-Fi E.P.
I remember my friend Jacob Dilley hipping me to Shlohmo one Sunday morning. It was better than church. I hadn’t ever heard anything quite like it before. Beats, samples, found sounds arranged in a way that was almost spiritual. A lifelong Shlohmo fan, I’m happy to see his sound and career evolve, but those first Shlohmo releases between 2009 and 2011 sounded like treasure unearthed from the concrete. Probably the first artist to open the door to my love for non-lyrical music.
John Frusciante — Shadows Collide With People
That’s right hipsters, it’s the guy from Red Hot Chili Peppers. And Flea and Chad Smith are the backing band. But Anthony Keidis is nowhere to be found, so some might argue it’s the best RHCP album there is. I could give a whole dissertation on this album, but basically, it was a great healing force when it came into my life, and made me aware and appreciative of sounds that would lead me to where I am today.
Herbcraft — The Astral Body Electric
I believe it was September 1st, 2015, that Matt LaJoie played at Reverberation Vinyl. Herbcraft’s performance was inspiring and transcendent to say the least. I’ve loved everything Matt has put out, but those early Herbcraft records hold a special place in my heart. Before that point, I don't think I had any actual awareness of the country’s underground psych scene, but everything came full circle when I had the honor to play with Matt at Reverberation Vinyl this last May.
Jaco Pastorius — Solo
Every electric bass player owes something to Jaco. The heaviest bass nerds could go on for days about all the doors he opened (or kicked free from the hinges), but for me this particular solo encapsulates everything I like about Jaco as a player: running the bass through chorus and delay/reverb to create otherworldly tones with harmonics, riding the line between melody and the abstract, and grooving into a rock song like “Third Stone From the Sun.” When I saw this in like 2008, I realized jazz and rock were perhaps more similar than I had once thought. Also, my love for harmonics was sealed forever.
Shigeto — No Better Time Than Now
This is a strong contender for my desert island album. I don’t think Shigeto (Zachary Saginaw) has gotten the love he deserves for his approaches to music making like many of his contemporaries. The way the live instruments, his drumming in particular, blend with the electronic automations to create a sound that threads beautifully between genres. Electric perfection.
Primal Scream — Swastika Eyes (Jagz Kooner Mix)
For the last few years, I’d probably say Primal Scream has been my favorite band. Far beyond Screamadelica, the whole Primal Scream discography hits a lot of zones I’ve considered my favorites throughout the years. Bobby Gillespe has always seemed to be politically well-minded, and the way his laid-back delivery blends with noise rock onslaughts and sweaty club pulsations really does it for me. Whether folks want to admit it or not, I hear a lot of their influence in what’s happened musically over the last 15 years.
Ron Miles — Circuit Rider (2015-06-29) Monument National
I had the honor of studying with Ron Miles for a year or so during my time at MSU Denver. Brief as it was, I am forever grateful for it. I owe it to Ron for giving me the confidence to record the Trapped in Purgatory album and I am disappointed that he passed before its release. He seemed to respect my knack for music history and the last time I saw him, he asked me where he should start with krautrock. I hope he went home and checked out some CAN that night.
Gimo
A well of infinite talent and spirit and forever on the right-side of history, I can’t really find the words to properly express the influence Gimo has had on my life. They’ve given me more love than I deserve, and I don’t know how to adequately state the influence they’ve had on me. The most incredible artist, they did the cover of my Dooley Noted album, and are currently tattooing at Wild Wind Tattoo in Chicago. Find them on IG @i_am_gimo and book a tattoo appointment with them if you're in Chicago; you won’t regret it!
John Anderson, Reverberation Vinyl
The mentor. The influencer. The psychedelic stepdad. It’s hard to state the love and respect I’ve got for John. I wouldn’t be doing what I am musically without his guidance. He’s turned me on to quite a bit of good tunes and has gotten me to go across the country more than once for a music pilgrimage. Not including the numerous heads John’s brough to his store, Reverberation Vinyl, I owe much of my connection to the country’s music underground to his networking. Hope I can continue to make you proud, buddy.
We checked out an I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One-era Yo La Tengo tape yesterday ... today, we've got Prairiewolf covering an ICHTHBAO classic. Jeremy, Stefan and I made our Lagniappe Session debut over on Aquarium Drunkard this week with our take on YLT's luminous/lovely "Green Arrow" alongside an extended/extremely heady rendition of the unclassifiable Eddie Harris/Melvin Jackson jam "Silver Cycles." Huzzah for gratis grooves! Thank you to AD for asking us to be a part of the Lagniappe legacy. An honor and a privilege.
What else!? Prairiewolf is playing a show THIS FRIDAY down in Denver at Enigma Bazaar. It's a stacked bill, featuring the mighty Moon Bros. and The International Disassociation of Aaron Dooley. You don't want to miss it. Afterwards, Aaron is taking his crew out on the road for an honest-to-goodness tour, going all over the place. Check out the dates and go see him!
More???! How about Of Ambience and Americana, a killer Centripetal Force collection that just showed up this week, offering up some very sweet "ambient Americana" zones. Prairiewolf's "Lunar Deluxe" makes an appearance — and I'd be lying if I didn't swell up with pride seeing our name listed amongst so many greats: Nashville Ambient Ensemble, Eve Maret, Joseph Allred and more. Go get it!
ONE MORE THING. Golden Brown's Wide Ranging Rider is out NOW on Inner Islands — and I implore you to grab your copy. The more I listen, the more I'm convinced that it's Stefan's best work yet, stripping things back considerably, but still finding an expansive, magical vibe. A raspberry cloud to float away on ...
