Abstract Playgrounds
Led by trumpeter-composer Reuben Lewis, I Hold the Lion’s Paw (IHTLP) features some of Melbourne’s most exciting musicians. The music is born out of an organic cross-over of afro-beat, jazz and outré electronics. Expect to hear as much as electro-acoustic noise, slowly evolving soundtracks, afro-beat inspired grooves and psychedelic free jazz.
The album was produced by Reuben Lewis and edited by sound-artist Mark Shepherd, who assembled a day of live jamming in the studio to prepare material that would later be dissected, abstracted and re-composed into a single-take long-form improvisation and an electro-acoustic remix. Originally conceived as an LP in two chapters, side A is an unedited studio take performed without any pre-planned structure or set-list. Side B reimagines the IHTLP concept through an interconnected series of electro-acoustic pieces.
“Their debut album is a beguiling stew of afro-beat, jazz-rock-inflected postbop, and electro-acoustic noise – and on a deeper level, one of the richest, most insightful examinations of Miles Davis’s early 1970s work that I know.” – Andy Hamilton, The Wire: Adventures in Modern Music
“The presence of afro beat vibes – both in terms of melody and energy – transforms the dark broodiness of the Milesean bitchy brew into something else entirely: I Hold The Lion’s Paw. It’s only March and Abstract Playgrounds is a possible contender for my album of the year.” – Joseph Cummins, Loud Mouth E-Zine
“Is this exactly where jazz needed to have ended up in the year 2018? Future-primitive grooves – there are echoes of Radiohead, what Robert Plant is doing in rock and Sydney’s 20th Century Dog are doing in jazz. It is an exhilarating spirit that moves this collective, taking the best from the past, and from the future and grafting them to the present.” – John Hardaker, Words About Music
“Danceable, infectious, and the inevitable deconstructions are subtle – ★★★★” – Eric Myers, The Australian
“More likely was the feeling of having stumbled into someone else’s LSD trip. Their aptly titled Abstract Playgrounds album is highly recommended.” – John Shand, The Sydney Morning Herald
“Abstract Playgrounds conjures its own unique rhythmic universe, spurred on by an unfettered belief in improvisation and group dynamics. It’s a high-wire act, made possible by the fact that IHTLP is awash with first-rank improvisers.” - Des Cowley, AustralianJazz.net
