Jazz Articles

Random Touch: A Way From the Heard

by Glenn Astarita
December 12, 2009

The Illinois based-trio had its origins in the 1970s and is steeped within experimental and improvisational factors. Over the years, the musicians have investigated numerous slants, comprising the acoustic-electric element amid heavy-duty and, wily percussion jaunts, evidenced on their exploratory 2009 LP, Turbulent Flesh. Yet free-expressionism rules the roost within the musicians' core methodology. And they interject moments of humor to complement feisty sojourns into sizzling, hyper-mode free-jazz persuasions.

Featuring Scott Hamill's torrid and squealing, avant-rock electric guitar ...

Random Touch: A Box And A Word

by Glenn Astarita
October 13, 2008

With its tenth release, Random Touch fires phasers and spews electronic sounds into the cosmos.  It’s as if they’re zooming into the outreaches of space via jagged angles, while all notions of physics are completely disregarded.  Nonetheless, the musicians embark upon a free-form, genre-bashing sequence of events.  On the opener, "Floating in a Spiral," they execute a broad, ambient soundscape that segues into avant jazz-rock amid bizarre movements constructed upon wily EFX-based maneuvers.