Album Review // Saturn To Brazil // Cosmic Tumblers
5/5 stars
Erie's own jazz jam combo Saturn To Brazil released their debut album Cosmic Tumblers both online and in physical form on transparent blue vinyl. The core members are City Gallery co-owner Stephen Trohoske on bass, Mike Russo on guitar, Ken "Stix" Thompson on drums, Dave Tamulonis on violin, and Joel Hunt on saxophone. The group combines elements of jazz, psych, jam, and rock, creating a journey that seems at once constructed and spontaneous. They recruited pianist Frank Singer to join the voyage on the first three tracks, including the hard-grooving opener "Swords," the distortion heavy "Garbageland," and the chill "Upside Down Tango," which shifts gears into more mellow territory. Preach Freedom provides percussion for "Paw Prints In The Snow," carried by a funky hook that becomes trance-like (Including a smooth saxophone solo by Roby Edwards), and "Swiper No Swiping," delivered in a future jazz style that is reminiscent of some of Herbie Hancock's work. The album continues its intergalactic tones with "Spears," a jam that slows down and dips its toes in the krautrock genre, leading into "Trouble In The Gulf," the only song with vocals (provided by Niecey Nicole, whose poetic style demands attention). Saturn To Brazil ends their trek with "It's So Easy To Die," a live track recorded by the band at PACA, proving that they sound just as tight live as they do in the studio. Cosmic Tumblers is a musical trip that will take you out of this world.
