When you take a time off, things happen. Life goes on. Musicians continue to release albums, even if you don’t cover them when they’re initially released. Case in point: We’re long overdue on covering violinist Mazz Swift’s debut as a bandleader, MazzMuse: The Band, which has been out in the world for over a year. Produced by Living Colour‘s Vernon Reid, the album features the quartet of Swift, Alex Nolan on electric guitar, bassist Dan Paccione, and the formidable LaFrae Sci on drums. But bear with me as I drop these facts: It was an excellent album when it was released, and it’s an excellent album now.
It’s been great to follow Mazz’s evolution as an artist. When we first met, she and guitarist Brad Hammonds were performing as the duo Brazz Tree. Over the last several years, she’s been a regular member of Greg Tate’s Butch Morris-inspired free jazz/rock ensemble Burnt Sugar. Along the way, her various musical travels have helped her develop the sound that she and Vernon captured on MazzMuse: The Band, something she calls Progressive Soul. Mazz defines it as “the freedom of Rock with the depth of Soul, brought together with the precision of a classical sensibility.” Not only did she spend time at Julliard, but she’s played improv rock on a commune down South, electrified old Negro spirituals in a blues and jazz band as a US Cultural Ambassador, and performed with headliners such as Kanye West, the late Whitney Houston, rising country/blues star Valerie June, Grammy-winning family music icon Dan Zanes, as well as free jazz pioneers Butch Morris and William Parker.
Shorter version: She’s no slouch.
From start to finish, the album is a pleasure, particularly under headphones. “Saddle Up” is a grindy, rock jam. “Molten,” as its name suggests, is a fiery uptempo headnod. There’s something about “Mudslide” that makes me think of Metallica (and I mean that in a good way!).
MazzMuse: The Band ends with the rousing, climatic “No Time Soon.” But, as I’m partial to a midtempo ballads, “Unbelievable”–with its Middle Eastern influences and “Never Again” are two of the most affecting songs on the album. As well, these are the two songs that really showcase her vocal sweet spot.
Take a listen to “Unbelievable” below.
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