A second review this week of an artist related to Inner Ear Brigade and the obviously lively San Francisco experimental music scene, this one Amanda Chaudhary and her Meow Meow Band, who incidentally also features on the Nubdug Ensemble album Third reviewed on this website today.

January Suborbital Denomination is full of experimental jazz and electronica, and from the first listen, I was captivated.

Amanda has a host of class musicians joining her, and you can see them, and take a listen to this album at https://amandachaudhary.bandcamp.com/album/january-suborbital-denomination

So, nine tracks for us to dissect and enjoy, so let’s make a start. We have a very short introduction with Live from the Desert Lounge, with a suitable compere’s announcement, this the perfect musical spell for all you lounge lizards out there.

Rambutan is a tropical tree and spiky fruit from SE Asia (think lychee, and you will be somewhere near). The sax is beautifully playful, and the explanation of our fruit is provided by the extremely talented Sami Stevens, the discovery of her voice being one of my musical treats of 2024. The bass melody is staggering on this funk-infused delight. I have embedded it below for you, a track which fills me with happiness every time I hear it, the trumpet oozing sensuality alongside some expressive keys from Chaudhary. Clap along in joy as we move into the final minute as Stevens simply whispers to us.

Regrettably, my 2024 awards have already been finalised, because National Chocolate Oak Milk Day would almost certainly have been a certainty for “title of the year”. Now, believe it, or not, there is, in fact, a National Chocolate Milk Day, this falling on September 27th. I have made a note in my diary for 2025. Stevens provides a lovely vocal on a track which takes me back to those heady days of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, thinking of the Age of Aquarius, notional love and peace to all of us. It is a stunning piece, worth the entrance price alone. The C Trumpet is simply majestic, the bass melody beautiful, and an electric sitar and swirling keys add verve to that hippy sense.

Ghanaplasticity is a serious change in mood and playing, a deeply experimental smorgasbord of noises, quite dark.

Kislev is the ninth month in the Hebrew calendar, but I think this song refers to Warhammer, which my son was quite deeply into at one stage, this referring to The Realm of the Ice Queen. I have embedded this jazz funk delight below. That voice again, with such expressive vocals, some more deep bass grooves, and the keyboards setting the tone from the off in a song which carries with it deep echoes of classic urban soul from the 70’s. Intelligent sounds for those of you aren’t landlocked by frankly ridiculous notions of what progressive music should sound like. If there were any justice, this would be a smash hit.

Taconic Parkway Bridge is up next, and the second longest track on the album, clocking in at just over six minutes, referring, I believe, to a 100 mile plus parkway in the state of New York. It is an instrumental, and is a progressive electronica delight, sumptuous noises created reminiscent of a highway journey with some funk infused bass and guitar work, underpinned by mechanical noises and the relentless drub of he drums and percussion. Some of the guitar chords especially are beautifully light, perhaps as a comparator reminding one of Paul Simon’s more joyous grooves back in the day before the final 90 seconds brings us a lighter industrial feel with some soaring synths above the pulses below. One of the finest instrumentals of 2024, for sure.

Endorheic Basin refers to closed basins which allow no outflow of water to other water outlets. This is a relatively short experimental electronic track, with some interesting effects created, especially the percussive bells which are pretty and dissolute at the same time.

Marlon Brando is the penultimate track, the longest at 6:13, and its subject requires absolutely no introduction whatsoever. It doesn’t matter what one thought of Brando the man (and there is plenty of evidence to support the case for the prosecution), but he was one of the most influential actors of all time, his performances in The Godfather and On the Waterfront remaining huge favourites of this writer. He was a dense character, and the music on this wonderful track reflects that, dirty sax, bold brass, thoughtful rhythm section including some lovely grooves, and keys which shake the recipe up, introspective, yet forceful. The steel pans are as joyous as they are unexpected on first listen. It is embedded below. Enjoy.

We close with Mister Brushies, surely a paeon to a beloved feline friend. As I write this first draft, our companion (alongside two toy chihuahuas), (Pally) Ally is sitting next to me, bless her. It is just a pile of fun, a piece of music to smile to and fill you with a sense of being so lucky to be alive.

This is a wonderful album I loved on first listen, and its charm has not been lost over repeated spins. Very highly recommended, especially if you need a mental lift, because it is so full of life, you can’t help but give a knowing smile.