The musicians of The Zebra Street Band have come together in Amsterdam from all different parts of the globe. With roots in Italy, Scotland, the United States and the Netherlands, the music this quintet creates is both borderless and limitless. Under the direction of composer, arranger, trombonist and tuba player Salvoandrea Lucifora, they have already released two albums: ZeBrass in 2018 and Shirwku in 2022. Just like their live performances, the albums feature African, Caribbean and Balkan influences with contemporary jazz and breakbeats. The band name and the lineup, which includes four horns, is suggestive of a festive street band, but they’re far too experimental for that. What’s clever though, is that although they sometimes solo simultaneously and with great virtuosity in their free, collective improvisations, the musicians always fix their focus on a compelling groove that is sure to lift even the most stubborn pair of feet off the floor. No two performances are the same, and yet every single one is unmistakably The Zebra Street Band.
Band members:
Salvoandrea Lucifora – Trombone, Tuba, Compositions
Alistair Payne – Trumpet
Giuseppe Doronzo - Barione Saxophone/ Bass Clarinet
John Dikeman – Tenor/Bass Saxophone
Onno Govaert – Snare drum and percussion
Fabio Galeazzi – Bass drum and percussion
Releases
SHIRWKU – AUGUST 2022
ZeBrass – September 2018
Videos
SHIRWKU review by Herman the Loo
‘Shirwku’ is the second album by the Amsterdam-based (but internationally occupied) Zebra Street Band, which is led by Italian brass player Salvoandrea Lucifora. Although the sextet can actually be heard regularly in the open air, the group is certainly not a standard brass band. Its artistic and creative aspirations and talents are too great for that. Nevertheless, Lucifora has forged his band into a tight unit, so that danceability is always guaranteed. In doing so, he draws in his compositions from traditions where wind orchestras on the streets can add to the revelry. We hear African rhythms, Balkan arrangements and also New Orleans-style funk. And of course the composer also looks at the music from his homeland with a slanted eye. After all, “White stones” sounds very Italian – Fellini’s resident composer Nino Rota would certainly not have been ashamed of it. With John Dikeman’s growling baritone saxophone and occasionally his own tuba, plus two percussionists (Fabio Galazzi and Onno Govaert), an unshakable foundation is laid that is perfectly at home both in intricate time signatures (with creative breaks) and unctuous grooves. And, of course, the soloistic ability of this gem of the Am- sterdam improv scene is also in order.
Other reviews
Shirwku reviews
https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/antti-lotjonen-quintet-east/
https://ilmanifesto.it/gli-ultrasuonati-35
https://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/3081-Music-Week.html
ZeBrass REviews
https://www.jazzhalo.be/reviews/cdlpk7-reviews/z/zebra-street-band-zebrass/