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Music Video Monday: “The Inescapable Truth of the Void/Water Snakes” by Frog Squad

“I do like a certain looseness of things in music, that feeling that things could fall apart,” says David Collins, guitarist and chief instigator of Frog Squad. “And that’s something I see in Memphis music a lot. It makes it feel more genuine.”

Frog Squad’s new album Special Noise features a murderer’s row of Memphis jazz talent, including bassist Khari Wynn, drummer John Harrison, percussionist Hector Diaz, sax mistress Hope Clayburn, tenor sax Franko Coleman, woodwind swinger Chad Fowler, baritone sax Aaron Phillips, and keyboardist Cedric Taylor.

In contrast with Frog Squad’s last outing, which meticulously adapted pieces by French Impressionist composer Eric Satie, Special Noise travels toward the ’70s fusion experiments of Herbie Hancock and Sun Ra. “Everything’s better when you have multiple people
putting their input on it,” says Collins. “I can just bring in a rough sketch, and people play stuff over it I would never think of. It sounds cool that way and it brings things out of me that I wouldn’t play otherwise.”

The video for “The Inescapable Truth of the Void/Water Snakes” features majorly glitched out images of the band performing. Take a few minutes to bliss out with the Squad.

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.

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Music Video Monday: Frog Squad

Jazz up your week with Music Video Monday.

Frog Squad is a Memphis collective dedicated to the kind of electronically infused space jazz pioneered by Sun Ra and His Arkestra.

“Solar System in Peabody” is a musical tribute to sculptor Yvonne Bobo’s Around We Go and Without Boundaries, both located in Peabody Park on Cooper. It was written by Khari Wynn and David Collins, and features saxophonist/flutist Hope Clayburn, keybaordist Dave Hash, drummer John Harrison, and saxophonists Michael Shults and Aaron Phillips.

This performance of the epic suite was filmed live in Peabody Park by Brett Hanover for the Urban Arts Commission. Frog Squad’s new album will be released on Halloween, and they will be at B Side for a record release party on Friday, November 1st. Get spaced!

Music Video Monday: Frog Squad

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com