the Curhachestra by Curtis Hasselbring
Curtis's new label, -est Records, presents his first band recording in 10 years. The Curhachestra, originally started to perform live renditions of Curtis's electronic repertoire (under the alias Curha) took on a life of its own and has been playing consistently since 2021. This recording ranges from atonal cumbias to Mingus-inspired country music to biker-space opera epics all played by a quartet with trombone and lap steel. Special guests included Nels Cline and Lisa Parrott.
"Hasselbring is no stranger to experimenting to find a new sound. In the case of the Curhachestra, such creative openness has resulted in an incredibly deceptive group. Its name – a combination of the leader’s nickname “Cur Ha” and orchestra – suggests a big band or concert band setting, but in reality, it is anything but. Instead, it is merely a quartet with a much larger-sounding descriptor. Its unusual instrumentation allows Hasselbring to explore pieces he wrote for electronics within a predominantly acoustic setting while keeping a foot in both realms. Raphael MacGregor’s lap steel guitar evokes a taste of Americana and mid-Century dance halls. It stands in stark contrast to Adam Minkoff’s continually propulsive basslines. The leader’s trombone adds a lyricism even as it becomes distorted under pedals and manipulations. It is also sometimes difficult to tell Dan Reiser’s tight drum hits from mechanized beats. The result is tracks like the shape-shifting “Morphology” with special guest Nels Cline, where an edgy punk rock anthem drifts to the sounds of surf before the tide takes it somewhere more menacing. Or the lost disco excursion through the spaceways of “Bee Alley” that ultimately becomes a global jetsetting dance party ala Balthvs, Glass Beams, or Khruangbin on acid."
Rob Shepard, Post-Genre Media
"Hasselbring takes advantage of the unusual lineup’s available tonalities, and the combination of trombone and lap steel is quite engaging. Overall, the music is just a lot of fun to listen to, with elements of surf music, classic soundtracks, and warped Western music."
Jon Davis, Expose
Tracklist
| 1. | Morphology | 4:55 |
| 2. | Mad Slabs | 5:31 |
| 3. | Bee Alley | 5:28 |
| 4. | History Of Vistas | 3:33 |
| 5. | Normal Anyone | 2:48 |
| 6. | Catfish | 5:25 |
| 7. | Nest | 2:40 |
| 8. | Les Ennemis D'Amis | 5:57 |
| 9. | Ana-Lo | 5:24 |
Credits
Curtis Hasselbring (trombone, guitar), Raphael McGregor (lap steel guitar), Adam Minkoff (electric bass), Dan Rieser (drums and percussion).
Special guests Nels Cline (guitar solo on track 1), Lisa Parrott (baritone saxophone on track 6). Recorded by Andy Taub at Brooklyn Recording. Mixed by Curha except track 1 mixed by Danny Blume, Hidden Quarry Studio, Woodstock NY. Mastered by Danny Blume. Art by Erdman.
License
All rights reserved.
Curtis Hasselbring is a trombonist, guitarist and general all-around music creator. He has been active in the NYC jazz, world, experimental and rock scenes since the 90's. He leads his riotous jazz quartet, the New Mellow Edwards, composes lots of works for various instrumentations and creates electronic music under the name Curha.