KLANG’s Tea Music Released Today

Today is the official street date for Tea Music (Allos Documents), the debut studio recording from the Chicago-based quartet, KLANG.

“While it has some of the hip lightness associated with many genre-busting acts hailing from that city,” writes Dusted‘s Marc Medwin, “coolness of approach is tempered by deep compositional concerns. The musicianship itself is first-rate, the group able to stop on a dime throughout. The players’ performances blend to give the band a unique voice, one rooted in swing and cool but cognizant of all events transpiring since.”

The three year-old group, featuring clarinetist James Falzone, vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tim Daisy, picks up the swing era thread of pairing clarinet and vibes, while also exploring its collective interest in the innovative sounds of Jimmy Giuffre‘s early small groups of the mid-1950’s.

“The music, written by different players, is sly and smart, centered on composition and cleverly precise,” declares AllAboutJazz.com’s Mark Corroto. “Their collective approach to improvisation is passionate and sharp; Falzone’s orderly clarinet and Adasiewicz’s crisp vibraphone travel to another plane. It’s an extraordinary recording from an outstanding quartet.”

KLANG has a busy fall schedule of performances in Chicago and beyond.

Before officially celebrating its new record at The Hideout on September 23rd, the group will help celebrate the Benny Goodman centennial at the Chicago Jazz Festival on September 6th, as well as at preview events around the city in late August.

In November, the band will embark on a Midwest tour culminating in a hometown performance at The Hungry Brain on November 22nd.

Check out the band’s complete itinerary here.