The first release by Singlespeed Music. Dragons 1976 is the trio of Aram Shelton (alto saxophone), Jason Ajemian (bass), and Tim Daisy (drums). Founded in 2001, Dragons 1976 takes their name from the Chinese Zodiac animal which represents their birth year. This is the second of three albums so far, serving as a transition between the debut album heard on Locust Music and their most current, the 2007 release on Polish imprint MultiKulti.
CDR. SSM-001. 2006. Out of Print.
Rooted in jazz and largely improvisational, the music of Dragons 1976 focuses on their individuality while using composed parts to guide the form and structure. While rooted in and heavily influenced by music of the jazz avant-garde, their music is never bound to it’s tradition, as each of the members is influenced by a wide array of styles including minimalism, folk, rock, electronic and free improvisation. Active from 2002 to 2007, Dragons 1976 toured the eastern parts of the United States several times over and performed in Poland. They’ve released three albums: On Cortez (Locust Music), Winter Break (Singlespeed Music), and their eponymous album Dragons 1976, released by the Polish imprint MultiKulti.
Jason Ajemian has acquired a high profile in the improvised music scene over the years, performing with Marc Ribot’s SunShip, Matana Robert’s CoinCoin, Rob Mazurek’s Mandarin Movie, Exploding Star Orchestra, and Chicago Underground Trio, Ken Vandermark’s Crisis Ensemble, and his 5 year weekly engagement with Jeff Parker & Nori Tanaka @ the Rodan in Chicago. Ajemian’s curiosity has ranged far and wide – he’s just as comfortable in the hushed, folksy setting of Born Heller, his duo with Josephine Foster, as he is in the breath-processed arrangements of his large ensemble Who Cares How Long You Sink. Given such a variety of musical interest, a detour like “From Beyond,” Ajemian’s backwards version of Black Sabbath’s ‘Into the Void’ for chamber ensemble, begins to seem like an obvious stop on this bassist’s journey from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Chicago and his current home in New York City.
Tim Daisy is a Chicago based percussionist, composer and educator working in the fields of improvised and composed music. Born and raised in northeastern Illinois, he moved to Chicago in 1997 and has since performed, recorded, and toured with many acclaimed musicians and ensembles from both the USA and abroad. Tim also maintains an active touring schedule, working with a number of musicians and ensembles and has traveled extensively throughout North America and Europe. Working in a number of different environments, he has composed for solo percussion, chamber groups, jazz ensembles, dance, theater, and film. Tim has had the fortunate experience to work with many of the most cutting edge musicians currently working in the filed of improvised music including: Ken Vandermark, Jeb Bishop , Fred Lonberg-Holm, James Falzone, Dave Rempis, Steve Swell, John Tchicai, Mars Williams, Joe McPhee, Matt Bauder, Michael Zerang, and Frank Rosaly.