Listen on:
In the fall of 1986, while attending the University of California at Santa Cruz, Rent Romus formed the group, Jazz On The Line which became the focus for his compositions and productions until 1994 when he moved on to other forms of sonic exploration.
When asked to compose music for a story (not made into a movie as of the present) by screenwriter Steven Marshall, Romus dusted off his writing hand and composed this seven track eclectic mix of original jazz and improvisation set to this story of corporate corruption and justice in the not so distant future bringing the signature sound of Jazz On the Line back to life.
- Rent Romus - alto saxophone/percussion
- Scott R. Looney - keyboards
- Ray Schaeffer - 6-string electric bass
- Philip Everett - drums/percussion/auto harp/mallet cat
- André Custodio - electronics/congas
…they’ve managed to combined free-jazz, avant-garde, and even some bebop and soul into a very entertaining listen. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait long for the band to give us something more along these same lines.
– Pete Pardo, Sea of Tranquility
…the band’s quirky yet largely, hard-hitting workouts are engineered upon a modernist-retro gait, chock full of supple surprises and off-kilter diversions.
Glenn Astarita, Jazzreview
These seven pieces (some more composed and some more improvised) range widely in sound and inspiration, but each is compelling.
J. Worely, Aiding & Abetting
…the performances are spirited and melodic without straying too far from the traditional sound of jazz. This is probably the closest Romus has come to a conventional jazz sound in years, and while it may not be as exotic as some of his more challenging material, it sure sounds mighty fine.