Best New Band, Formed In Last 12 Months
Project Bluebird
A mix n match collab featuring Brent Bagwell (reeds) and Ben Kennedy (cello,violin), both formerly of Pyramid, bass badass Ron Brendle, Carrie Shull of pulsoptional (oboe) and reed madman and sometime Raleigh native Crowmeat Bob, Project Bluebirds shows are a study in deconstruction. The group work out their music both in rehearsals and via the World Wide Web: With the
latter, charts of pieces are sent to each member via e-mail, with marks notating where improvisation is to occur. Each member then composes his or her own pieces, lending once they come together again like Voltron the finished product a free-floating (theres no drummer to act as anchor) vibe thats variously exultant, or gloriously exhausted, but never exhausting. Queen City folk rarely consider that a jazz band could be the most indie thing we have going, but guess what?