What happens when Chico Mann and the son of Herbie Mann get together to make a Afro-influenced fuzz-metal record? You get Here Lies Man. The drummer in the band is Geoff Mann, son of world music/jazz stylist Herbie Mann and the "Chico Mann" is of course the talented Marcos Garcia guitarist for Antibalas, Ocote Soul Sounds and others. The Los Angeles-based band is described as "Afrobeat meets Black Sabbath". Whoah! Two of our favorite sounds! How could we not have ears open on this one?
Hermosa, CA-based stoner/doom rock & metal label RidingEasy Records are gearing up to release the self-titled record, street date April 7.
Says Garcia (taken from press release):
"The repetitive guitar figures that happen in Afrobeat music are very close to heavy rock guitar riffs. This music is based on the clave. It's the musical algorithm that the rhythms revolve around. It's what gives it integrity and provides the basis for the musical conversation that's happening. I knew I wanted it to be psychedelic and heavy, and I wanted to be expanding on a musical tradition rather than pretending to be creating something new."
The album will be available on digital, CD and LP.
And here's another cut:
And here is a very different but quite worthy and groovy project from Marcos, aka Chico Mann.