Jazz Articles about James Chance

James Chance and Les Contortions: Cologne, Germany, Germany, February 28. 2013

by Phillip Woolever
April 13, 2013

James Chance and Les ContortionsGebaude 9Cologne, GermanyFebruary 28, 2013James Chance--still influential after his role as a catalyst in New York City's seventies-based No Wave movement--proved his enduring career amidst the upper creative edges is no novelty act. Chance and his cohesive backing trio (bassist Jacques Auvergne, guitarist Pierre Fablet and drummer Alex Tual) showed they were just as suited to tasks of timbre and turmoil as their namesakes and more punkish progenitors ...

James Chance & the Contortions: Soul Exorcism (Redux)

by Chris M. Slawecki
October 15, 2007

Soul Exorcism (Redux) is just as much a document of a space and time as it is the triumphant reissue of the legendary live album by James Chance & the Contortions.

Chance & the Contortions (and his alter-ego-band, James White & the Blacks) were focused on probing the outer reaches of the late 1970's black and white musical fringes--Miles Davis' fractious funk-jazz experiments from one side, and obnoxiously loud and aggressive punk rock from the other--and with much ...