Vijay Iyer Trio’s Latest Album Considers the Breaks

Vijay Iyer Trio: Break StuffThe Vijay Iyer Trio’s new album, Break Stuff, contemplates musical breakdowns and breaks.

The trio includes not only bandleader Iyer on piano, but also double bassist Stephan Crump (Jen Chapin Trio, Ches Smith Trio, Secret Keeper, and Rosetta Trio) and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Iyer called upon both of them to be completely themselves as the recorded Break Stuff, Crump said.

As for Crump, Iyer said that he really opens up the role of the bass player with his work on the record.

The album features homages to Iyer’s influences, like Thelonious Monk, a reconsideration of a John Coltrane classic, and plenty of wholly original music. This short film explains how it all works together:

Break Stuff is available on CD and for digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).

Break Stuff Track List:

  1. Starlings
  2. Chorale
  3. Diptych
  4. Hood
  5. Work
  6. Taking Flight
  7. Blood Count
  8. Break Stuff
  9. Mystery Woman
  10. Geese
  11. Countdown
  12. Wrens

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  1. Great musicians all partaking in a great art form.

    The specific ‘discovery’ Vijay credits to Cool Herc (as recounted by Chang) is not a new discovery at all but a part of African culture and music which like many aspects of African culture survived the transition to the ‘new world’ – the Americas, Europe…

    This innate desire to break it down and dance is as old as the beginning of mankind in Africa and should alway be recognized as the ancient DNA/Spirit thing it is. An unbroken thread back into the depth of the African soul wherever, whenever we play or dance. Never new no matter the technology or distance from ‘home’.