Sometimes you come across an artist or band that, on the surface, just doesn't seem to have it. The packaging may be unimpressive or uninteresting, or the name of the band doesn't instill any kind of premonition of what the music might be about. These instances can have an adverse effect on one's opinion about the music before the first note is heard. Due to the art of advertising and promotion, the art of music can sometimes be overshadowed. And that is a crime.
This was the case with Q-Bizm, an Italy-based collection of musicians that sent me their 7-song self titled EP. This non-descript CD sat on my desk for several weeks before I finally managed to find some quiet time to listen to it. And after listening, I kicked myself for wasting my time with far inferior, slickly-packaged CDs by bands trying to be the next Foo Fighters.
Q-Bizm creates music that may be difficult to classify. Frontman and Bassist, Filippo Gaetani likes to call their music "new progressive", which may be a excellent description, especially when you open a dictionary to the word "progressive" and see "moving forward, advancing, ongoing…" This music is definitely progressive. But it still doesn't describe it in musical genre terms. Let's try calling it Jazz. Or Funk. Or Classical. Or Jazzy classical funk.
Various percussion techniques and heavy bass lines bring the funk elements to the surface, while sax solos and jazzy guitars lend to the jazz feel. Electric and acoustic violin add the classical flavor to some tracks, and the vocals of Filippo are simply complimentary to the music (rather then a focal point).
"Lessons to Learn" is a great funk-rock tune, that I imagine started off as a endless jam session, complete with solos for everyone – bass, guitar, sax, drums – that vocals just polished off. "2 Wings" is a darker jazz tune that leans on the interesting mix of electric violin, bass and sax. "Compact the File" could easily be mistaken for a lost Steely Dan song, a fun rock tune with heavy horns and cleaver percussion. Live recordings of "Low Sprinkler" and "Down Home" sound like entertaining jams at a small jazz club.
These are seasoned musicians, not a startup garage band. Their music is crisp, clean, emotional, fun and challenging. Their collective bios list interests and influences ranging from Bach to Zappa, from Elvis to Tom Waits. And the listener can definitely feel these varied influences through their music.
Q-Bizm has more interest in the art of music then in the art of promotion, and for that, they may pay the price of obscurity. But for the fortunate few that get to hear their music – their ears will be thankful.
Check out this album: https://music.apple.com/us/album/vivid/79652816
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