MARCH 9, 2009
The Sway Machinery to release Hidden Melodies Revealed on April 7th
Brooklyn buzz band combines Jewish sacred music with indie rock innovation on powerhouse debut.
Brooklyn indie buzz band The Sway Machinery is set to release their innovative debut, Hidden Melodies Revealed on April 7th, on JDub records.
The Sway Machinery is an all-star collective of innovative visionaries lead by guitarist Jeremiah Lockwood of Balkan Beat Box. The Sway Machinery also includes Brian Chase of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on drums, Stuart Bogie and Jordan McLean of the Antibalas horn section on tenor saxophone and trumpet respectively and Colin Stetson on bass saxophone.
The Sway Machinery's sound stems from Lockwood's rich musical relationships with his grandfather Cantor Jacob Konigsberg and his mentor Carolina Slim, the renowned blues player who fondly guided Lockwood's musical development. Konigsberg, one of the last great exponents of Cantorial (songs sung in Synagogue) singing , initiated Lockwood into an understanding of the soulful, mystical and ancient heritage of Synagogue music.
Though The Sway Machinery carefully cultivates Lockwood's deeply felt connection to his musical roots, his accomplished colleagues bring to the table the sounds of afro-beat horns, unassailable rock beats and an astutely contemporary musical sensibility. Lockwood layers the haunting notes of his Cantorial-influenced vocals over the energetic, celebratory rhythms of afro-pop, hard-hitting drums and the blues. Hidden Melodies Revealedd showcases pieces based on text taken directly from the Jewish prayers and reconfigures them in a startlingly new musical landscape.