Cody McCorry: We Used to Cut the Grass #2

When a band lists Frank Zappa, John Zorn and Sun Ra as some of its major influences, you think you know what to expect. Or do you? That is the question, and Asbury Park, New Jersey composer and bassist Cody McCorry answers it on We Used to Cut the Grass #2. Rather than trying to imitate the influences, McCorry uses them as the foundation for something that comes across as jazz fusion blended with contemporary classical, with a dash of commedia dell'arte. The result is an album that ricochets from orchestral gravitas to absurdist humor, often within the same track, yet somehow remains grounded in a deeply musical core.

The album opens with "The Play Shep Wrote in '92," a striking orchestral prelude recorded by the Sofia Session Orchestra. Its cinematic sweep and harmonic precision showcase McCorry's serious compositional chops before the curtain rises on an entirely different act as exemplified by "The Comet Is Not Coming," a thunderous jazz-rock fusion driven by blistering bass, sax and theremin. The juxtaposition is dizzying, but intentional. McCorry thrives on contrast, and We Used to Cut the Grass #2 amplifies the eclecticism hinted at on the band's 2022 debut.

We Used to Cut the Grass #2, includes a large ensemble featuring heavy brass and dual drums that successfully execute McCorry's complex arrangements with fantastic precision. The album also features a healthy dose of humor, equal parts Zappa and Firesign Theater. But the comedy takes a backseat to the powerful music. With an ensemble of 17 musicians, McCorry leads a wild ride, with trumpeter Joe Gullace, saxophonist Alex Blade Silver and violinist Ben Karas steering through the shifting terrain. From the propulsive "Lights, Camera, Ham!" to the riff-driven "Shep's Encounter," We Used to Cut the Grass #2 packs a powerful and sometimes dadaesque punch.

The band's humor has the absurdist edge of the Bonzo Dog Band combined with technical musical precision. Whether delivering fake commercials or satirizing Buffalo Wild Wings, the band obviously loves exposing the foolishness of everyday life. If the band's humor seems over the top, it is part of the overall conceptual design. Like Zappa, McCorry delights in dismantling the barrier between highbrow and lowbrow art. Like Zappa's concept of the "project/object," the diverse elements feel like interlocking pieces in a larger, ongoing puzzle. And if Zappa taught us anything, it is that serious music does not always need to be that serious.

While much of #2 thrives on chaos and collage, its closing sequence brings the listener back to firmer jazz ground. "Post-Nuclear Tourism" and "Scully's Waltz" evoke traditional ensemble interplay, captured live at Jankland Studios in Belmar, New Jersey. After the anarchic humor and stylistic detours, these tracks feel like a subtle wink from McCorry, reminding us that amid the satire and spectacle, there is serious jazz musicianship at work.

Ultimately, We Used to Cut the Grass #2 is about possibility. It is a kaleidoscopic statement that reimagines what a jazz-fusion record can encompass, blending orchestral drama, prog-rock pyrotechnics and tongue-in-cheek comedy into one audacious package. It invites both laughter and admiration, leaving you wondering what might be in store next.

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