Black Cube Marriage is a unique ensemble consisting of legendary Chicago-based cornetist, sound manipulator and improviser Rob Mazurek and members of his Brazilian connection Sao Paolo Underground, Austin-based freeform unit Marriage and special guests Jonathan Horne (guitar, saxophone) and Steve Jansen (tapes, guitar).

Formed in the wake of a couple of Austin, Texas shows in late 2015, this 11-person strong ensemble creates waves of sound that can best be described as cathartic. Astral Cube draws from multiple styles and traditions and the result is a sonic eruption where past, present, north, east, south, organic and electronic collides and is poured into the unknown. Traces of cosmic jazz – think Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra – appears alongside abstract electronics and heavily manipulated instruments – not unlike Autechre or Matmos.

Occasionally the sounds this group is creating conjures mental imagery of flourishing nature, colourful wildlife, flowing mountain streams and ancient rituals – other times the glistening sonic textures evokes images of buzzing urban power lines or technology gone haywire. It’s ceremonial, yet deeply futuristic music. Powerful, unknown, surreal. A sonic outpouring of light an energy. This is post-everything psychedelia at the outer limits of musical possibilities.

Chicago maestro Rob Mazurek has lead several high profile ensembles throughout the last two decades: Chicago Underground Collective, Exploding Star Orchestra, Pulsar Quartet, and has collaborated with artists such as Stereolab, Pharoah Sanders, Jim O’Rourke and Tortoise. When Rob was living in Sao Paolo for some years he formed Sao Paolo Underground with locals Mauricio Takara and Guilhermo Granado. Together they’ve explored a rewarding fusion of traditional Brazilian styles – tropicalia, bossa nova – with minimalism, electronics, krautrock and jazz. With the addition of Thomas Rohrer they became Black Cube SP and released ”Return The Tides” in 2014.

Marriage is a 5-piece group from Austin, Texas who have been hoarding broken drums & assorted percussion as well as 8×10 speaker cabinets since 2011. They have released two LP’s “For Brotzmann” & “Pool Blunt” and a cassette “Pharoahsmith” on Monofonus Press. Marriage has been no stranger to improv playing shows as “Open Marriage” with guests including Jonathan Horne, Steve Jansen, Thor Harris, Tom Blancarte, Louis D.E. Jensen, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Ralph White and more.

Jonathan Horne is an Austin-based guitarist and occasional saxophonist. He plays with The Young Mothers, Plutonium Farmers, Ichi Ni San Shi and many more groups in Austin as well as countless solo and group improv dates.

Steve Jansen is currently based in New York — but also splits time between somewhere in Arizona, Austin & Houston. Jansen uses tape manipulation, tabletop guitar, and various other devices to create sounds. Jansen has played in numerous improv/noise groups including SSBT, Friendship Cemetery and more, he also runs That’s Cool Records.

Black Cube Marriage: Astral Cube

Chicago Odense Ensemble: S/T