"From the outset, Romus and crew blaze an adventurous path. The opening track, Grown out of Stone, begins with a jagged, start-stop rhythm before Cohen joins in with speed picking up and down the fretboard. Romus’s contributions move this track comfortably into free jazz territory with rolling leads." - Mike Borella, Avant Music News
"Lords of Outland is a free-jazz collective that also takes cues from the darkness of H.P. Lovecraft; the alternating hopefulness and despair of science fiction; and the joyful open-mindedness of free improvisation. "
- Memory Select: Journeys in Creative Music
"The title, "25 years under the mountain," captures the determination of an underground musician who acts like a magma flow on the West Coast underground scene. - Takeshi Goda, Jazz Tokyo
"The band is often bursting at the seams amid conceptual frameworks and boisterous romps such as "Ape of God," highlighted by Romus' weaving and darting sax improvisations. Whereas Cohen's frenetic single notes and fervent strumming imparts a sense of urgency on "Revenge of Trees," leading to an intense improv fest directed by Ray Schaeffer's forceful walking bass lines and drummer Philip Everett's slamming grooves." - Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz
Rent Romus’ Lords of Outland celebrate 25 years of underground music with their newest album under the mountain. The music features the core trio with drummer Philip Everett and bassist Ray Schaeffer and newest collective member guitarist Alex Cohen.
In 1993 Saxophonist, composer Rent Romus leapt out of the box to play trio with 60’s drummer James Zitro and Sun Ra cellist Kash Killion. That formation lead to a quartet with drummer, Andrew Borger, bassist Vytas Nagisetty, and trumpet player Jason Olaine. In 1994 Romus named the band Lords of Outland, a collective of like-minded musicians focusing on exploring improvisation, melody, noise, and sound art while acknowledging their jazz and blues roots. In 1995 Romus released the first album You’ll Never be the Same recorded live at Blondies Bar and no Grill in San Francisco. Later that year he took his music to Denmark working with a then young pianist Jonas Muller and later in 1996 drummer Stephen Pasborg. The Danish connection continued in 1997 with the release of Adapt…or Die! Featuring drummer David Mihaly, Jon Birdsong on tuba and free jazz legend Danish tenor saxophonist John Tchicai. In the late 90’s bassist Bill Noertker replaced Jon Birdsong who went on to join Beck on tour through Europe. In 2004 drummer Philip Everett and bassist Ray Schaeffer became the regular rhythm section along with Romus’ wife noise artist trumpet player CJ Borosque (Collette McCaslin). Since 2006 the group has recorded ten more albums of original music ranging from unhinged free improvisation to thematic compositional suites inspired by abstract and socio-political poetry, science fiction, horror, and fantasy featuring late trombonist Toyoji Tomita, guitarist Joel Harrison, inventor Tom Nunn, cellist Doug Carroll, vocalist Jesse Quattro, saxophonist Jim Ryan, trumpet player Darren Johnston, bassist Damon Smith, pianist Scott R. Looney, tenor saxophonist Josh Allen, multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia, and most recently guitarist Alex Cohen.
credits
released October 22, 2019
Philip Everett - drums,autoharp, electronics
Ray Schaeffer - 6-string electric bass,
Alex Cohen - electric guitar, viola da gamba
Rent Romus - alto, soprano, c-melody saxophones, flutes, kantele, percussion
Recorded at New, Improved Recording, Oakland California, May 31, 2019
Mixed & Mastered by Ray Scheaffer
Cover Art by Collette McCaslin (ink on paper)
Gertude monster art logo by Vincent Rezini (Averee Repke)
Layout Gert Rude Music
Back cover photo of Rent Romus photo by George Thomson Luna’s Cafe, Sacramento California 2015
Rent Romus hailed by Downbeat as having "a bold sound, unmistakable sincerity and conviction". A third generation Finnish
American born in the great north of upper Michigan and growing up in the San Francisco Bay ,Romus' work on the saxophone has been dubbed “ferocious” by the San Francisco Weekly and “central to the creative music world of the West Coast” by writer jazz critic Frank Rubolino....more
supported by 5 fans who also own “25 years under the mountain”
Sweet noisy avant-garde jazz with a rocky edge and a punk spirit, not to mention plenty of non-standard instrumentation and a good sense of humour. DoomZappo