Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra: Lightning Dreamers

The similarities between Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra and Sun Ra's Arkestra are numerous. Both leaders travel the spaceways via the technologies available in their time, applied through dynamic rhythm and pulse. For Ra, his sound began when he was an apprentice in Fletcher Henderson's band in the 1940s, and Mazurek's 1990s work revolved around Isotope 217 and the various Chicago Underground (and later São Paulo Underground) ensembles. Both bandleaders were composers of their time, nonetheless they always create music of a timeless nature.

Mazurek's eighth instalment of his Exploding Star Orchestra (ESO) explorations, Lightning Dreamers, follows his 2020 release Dimensional Stardust (International Anthem Recording Co.) with a slightly smaller ensemble, this time an octet which is expanded on the track "Black River" by samples of a much larger ESO live performance from February, 2022. That performance included the trumpet of Jaime Branch who would depart this life later that same year at just 39 years old.

The sounds are an amalgamation of concepts from the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Miles Davis' electric years and, of course, Sun Ra's explorations. While these are important touchstones, Mazurek creates his own distinct sound. The pulse of "Future Shaman" draws from a quirky funk via Mauricio Takara and Gerald Cleaver's percussion, the electric keyboards attack of Craig Taborn and Angelica Sanchez, and Jeff Parker's corkscrew guitar. Interspersed throughout is Damon Locks' poetry and sampling which colors, mixed and mashed with most excellent soloes by the likes of flutist Nicole Mitchell, Jeff Parker, and Mazurek himself on trumpet and various electric treatments. If Sun Ra was the oracle of the 20th century, Mazurek is certainly the leading candidate for the 21st.

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