In the middle of March, as the blistering cold winter winds took their final inhale, the veteran punk instrumental trio featuring two members of Fugazi- The Messthetics teamed up with acclaimed saxophonist James Brandon Lewis for a collaborative album. The nine-song outing was energetic, lyrical, shocking, and, above all, a testament to the progression of jazz fusion. Their chemistry is impactful, and while the studio recordings are vibrant pieces that seemingly move on their own, hearing The Messthetics and Lewis live is where the true magic of their collaboration is present. Last Thursday (August 8), a small bar/coffee shop/vinyl and book store in Philadelphia known as Solar Myth was crowded with jazz enthusiasts as the newly formed quartet took over the small venue in the back of the shop for a night of blaring horns and hypnotic melodies.
Solar Myth is located on the South of Broad Street in the city of Brotherly Love. From eight to noon, it is a coffee shop serving refreshing caffeinated drinks, and from noon on, the bar offers beer and wine. While the drink menu changes, their passion for jazz and ambiance does not. The dark bar is a slither of paradise for music nerds and artsy meet-ups and hosting live performances, such as the powerful jazz fusion of Messthetics and Lewis. The bar was packed on this Thursday night as a gloomy overcast, and the scent of freshly fallen raindrops made the city of Philadelphia feel so much more quaint and calm.
Lewis and The Messthetics were all business as they stepped on the stage in front of Solar Myth’s small and packed back room. Very few words were exchanged between the performer and the audience during their set. Rather than engage in friendly banter between songs, the band skipped that in-between part almost entirely. Any momentary break in the music was necessary for the crowd to catch their breath as Lewis, bassist Joe Lally, drummer Brendan Canty, and guitarist Anthony Pirog put on a performance that shook the very foundation of the venue. They jumped right into the lead single from the album, “Emergence,” an all-encompassing tune with frantic tempos and sleek guitar work. The band performed most of their album, with live highlights being “That Thang,” with its nods to Pharoah Sanders-style horns, and “Boatly,” a somber yet unpredictable cut from the LP.
The nuances of Lewis and The Messthetics’ chemistry come alive and dance around the room, genuinely encapsulating the freedom expressed in their music. Lally’s basslines become more prominent and add a subtle drive to the echoing art of jazz fusion, and Lewis can hone in on true creative freedom as the live performance space leaves plenty of room for improvisation. Canty’s drum patterns are elevated to new heights as Pirog’s guitar work creates spellbinding melodies, allowing the whole room to feel as free as the limitless boundlessness of jazz fusion.
If you were a fan of The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis, seeing it live is a must. The collaborative project’s stop at Philadelphia’s Solar Myth introduced the prism of light captured by these four artists and directed at the crowd for a jaw-dropping experience of blinding fusion work. The tour will push on until the end of November, with stops in Phoenix, Seattle, and Los Angeles. The band will also head overseas for a few stops, including Berlin, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. You can check out the remaining dates for James Brandon Lewis and The Messthetics tour below.
