Spaceways Incorporated: Biography

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• Sun Ra
• Funkadelic
• DKV Trio

• Ken Vandermark
• Zu
• Bridge61
• Hamid Drake
• The Vandermark 5
• Nate McBride

Genres:

Jazz Music, Avant Garde Jazz Music, Fusion Jazz Music, Free Jazz Music

Decades Active:

2000's

Spaceways Incorporated, not to be confused with the entirely different hip-hop/jazz act Spaceways, is a progressive Chicago jazz trio. Their most visible member is reedman Ken Vandermark, a mainstay of the most daring edge of the Chicago jazz scene since the 1990s. He teamed up with bassist Nate McBride and drummer Hamid Drake for the offbeat Thirteen Cosmic Standards By Sun Ra Funkadelic album in 2000. As the title indicated, that interpreted the work of both Sun Ra and the less-expected inspiration (for a jazz band) Funkadelic. Like Charlie Hunter's T.J. Kirk (dedicated to covering the works of Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Roland Rahsaan Kirk), the album gives liberal-verging-on-free jazz treatments to a mix of material by both major experimental jazz and soul-funk pioneers. This same approach was taken to funk, soul, reggae, ska, and dub music for the equally impressive and experimental Version Soul. Released in the spring of 2002, the album had the same lineup as the first release, and was produced by Shellac's Bob Weston.

- Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide