“Ribot’s style [is] embedded in jazz vocabulary, but angular and gritty” – Sound of Boston
Marc Ribot, guitar
Chad Taylor, drums
Ava Mendoza, guitar
Sebastien Steinberg, bass
Marc Ribot’s Spiritual Unity was formed to explore the music of avant-garde saxophone giant Albert Ayler. The group featured bassist Henry Grimes, who recorded with Ayler. This band worked together for several years in the early 00s. Then, they continued their Ayler-tinged trajectory as Grimes-Taylor-Ribot Trio. However, Mr. Grimes’ failing health forced an end to their legendary performances in 2018. “Those gigs with Henry were the best music I’ve ever played on… or heard…” said Mr. Ribot of their last run of Trio gigs. Thus, Ribot and drummer Chad Taylor had been looking for a format to continue this work ever since. With Hurry Red Telephone (the title is a quote from the Richard Siken poem, Several Tremendous), they’ve found it.
After moving to New York City in 1978, Marc Ribot joined the soul/punk Realtones, and from 1984-1989, John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards. Between 1979 and 1985, Ribot also worked as a side musician with Brother Jack McDuff, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Chuck Berry, and many others.
Rolling Stone points out that “Guitarist Marc Ribot helped Tom Waits refine a new, weird Americana on 1985’s Rain Dogs.” Since then, he’s become the go-to guitar guy for all kinds of roots-music adventurers. He worked with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Elvis Costello, and John Mellencamp. Additionally, Solomon Burke, Neko Case, Diana Krall, Beth Orton, Marianne Faithfull, Arto Lindsay, Caetano Veloso, Laurie Anderson, and Susana Baca. Also, McCoy Tyner, The Jazz Passengers, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Cibo Matto, Allen Ginsberg, Madeleine Peyroux, and Sam Phillips.
Ribot frequently collaborates with producer T Bone Burnett, most notably on Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s Grammy-winning Raising Sand.
Recommended for fans of Fred Frith, Arto Lindsay, Tim Berne and John Zorn.
📸: Eric van den Brulle
