Best of 2016 #7: Moonbow – “When The Sleeping Fish Turn Red And The Skies Start To Sing In C Major I Will Follow You Till The End” (ILK Music)

This music is wildly over-the-top, and its exuberance is positively addictive.  The debut from Moonbow has, at its core, a modern European jazz foundation.  But that’s just the starting point.  From there, the septet mixes in different influences, pushing the boundaries of what can conceivably be considered modern jazz before it has to be given a brand new name.  And all of it, every euphoric shout and maniacal shaping of melody and combustion of rhythm is as crazily expressed as anything that came out in 2016.  There’s plenty of ferocity in this music, but all of it is delivered with a joyfulness that is as thrilling as it is infectious.  This is an album with a big heart, beating strong, and every single sound on this album is served up with an enthusiasm that holds nothing back.  This is what unbounded creativity sounds like.

Jazz from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Read more about the album on Bird is the Worm (LINK).