Slammin’ the Infinite

 Slammin’ the Infinite is drumming up a lot of attention in New York’s avant-garde jazz scene. The drumming, of course, is hard to follow, as the foursome’s improvisational skills make for plenty of bizarre time changes and unsettling rhythms. Most of the music may only be understood by well-read music theory students, but the sound is impressive enough to keep the attention of any music fan or musician. The four-piece is led by horn players Steve Swell and Sabir Mateen, whose history is rooted in the improvisation of early New Orleans jazz. Swell has shared the stage with likes of Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, Jaki Byard, William Parker and Anthony Braxton, while Mateen played in Horace Tapscott’s legendary Pan-African People’s Orchestra in Los Angeles before moving onto New York, where he became a prominent figure in the jazz community. Prepare yourself for a lot of horn squeaks and squawks as Swell and Mateen bring out all the stops along with drummer Michael Wimberly and bassist Matthew Heyner.
Thu., Oct. 4, 8 p.m., 2007