Evil Genius
Bitter Human
"Here at Orenda Records, we receive a lot of music to review for release consideration. But it's not every day that a tuba, guitar, drums trio crosses our desk - and it's even rarer to hear such a formation explode with the kind of commanding vigor and infectious levity that the LA/Brooklyn bicoastal band Evil Genius embodies. Steeped in genre bending, wry wit, and dazzling virtuosity, this trio’s impressive debut, Bitter Human, is like nothing you've ever heard, and might make you smile way more than you think."
—Daniel Rosenboom, Orenda Records News Blog
Max Kutner - Guitar
Stefan Kac - Tuba
Mike Lockwood - Drums
“Juke Prompt” by Evil Genius is not melancholic. It is not even noticeably dark. And every time I listen to it, I revel in it a little more. It is a coalescence of impulse and inspiration, leashed to a hyper-driven will that demands significance."
—Jairo, Mouser
"Evil Genius is comprised of three virtuosic beasts on instruments that you would never suspect would form a happy marriage. As you explore their debut recording you quickly discover that guitar, tuba, and drums can move far afield from oompah music. This band can do it all …. whether its in your face rock, free wheeling open improvisation, 20th century classical music, or jazz ….. they can pull it off and upend all of your expectations."
—Larry Koonse, Guitarist and CalArts Jazz Faculty
"Sure, it would be possible for three sharp-minded musicians to make complex music of an academic, beard-stroking nature, but Evil Genius take things further with their sheer melodic invention."
—John Cavanagh, Radio DJ for Radio Six International, BBC Scotland
"Kompleksnost se mnogokrat izkaže le kot neobičajnost glasbenih sredstev, navidezna nedostopnost pa hitro odpade že po nekajkratnem poslušanju. Evil Genius nas pač seznanjajo z neko lastno govorico, v kateri pa je ogromno poplesavanja, melanholičnega postopanja, fraz in harmonij, četudi nenavadnih." (SLOVENE)
—Aleš Rojs, Radio Student (Ljubljana, SLOVENIA)
"Even with just these three instruments, this trio sounds fully formed, tight, intense and explosive at times. There is a manic, infectious energy here that reminds me of the Minutemen on occasion."
—Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery (New York, NY)
"The guitar, tuba and drumkit trio is pretty rare...on their debut record, guitarist Max Kutner, tubist Stefan Kac and drummer Mike Lockwood make the most of their unusual instrumentation and craft an album of challenging and thoroughly enjoyable modern jazz."
—Dave Trenkel, New and Improv Music/Dave on Records
"The CD is amazing it completely blew the lids off of my speakers. This is truly a wonderful power trio. There is not one aspect of this project that I did not totally enjoy."
—Joseph Daley, Tubist (Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Gil Evans, Sam Rivers, Taj Mahal)
"La propuesta creativa de Evil Genius congrega esas diversas influencias musicales –y algunas otras también– a través de un original alegato estético en el que conviven un temperamento irreverente y desprejuiciado, melodías de carácter cinemático, un amplio rango de atributos rítmicos, una espontánea variedad estilística y, también, un inocultable toque de humor negro." (SPANISH)
—Sergio Piccirilli, El Intruso
"Great tunes, beautiful playing, fantastic group interplay, and gorgeous production/sound!"
—David Ake, Author of Jazz Cultures and Professor at University of Miami
Produced by Max Kutner, Stefan Kac, Samur Khouja, and Daniel Rosenboom
Recorded at Seahorse Sound Studios, Los Angeles, CA February 6-7, 2014
Engineered by Nathaniel Eras
Mixed and Mastered by Daniel Rosenboom
Album Arwork by Vanessa Himeles
Liner Notes by Angela Allan
Evil Helpers: Barbara Ann Goldstein, Charles Himeles, Lee J. Hampton
Tracks 1-3, 5-6, 9-10 (Maxwell Ryan Kutner / Maladept Music ASCAP)
Tracks 4, 7-8 (Stefan Andrew Lord Kac / Harry Mesomorph Music Publishing ASCAP)
evilevilgeniusgenius.com
ORENDA RECORDS 0022