In an age where everything is accessible to everyone the general populace can’t help but to expect things to be produced with their individual wants in mind. Perhaps before the internet age a group like the Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble might have seemed to exist to fill an unreasonable niche that perhaps wasn’t even big enough to really need filling. But even though I will admit that some of the excitement is gone from buying records that used to exist back when there was some mystery to music, the fact that I can stumble upon something this incredible on Youtube is the beauty of modern times.
Yes, tKDJE are a group that combines many genres but doing so actually narrows their potential scope of appeal. Personally, not only do I love the albums that I’ve listened to since discovering this emsemble earlier this year, but the fact that a group of musicians even got together to do this in the first place inspires me and begs me the question; “What’s your excuse?” The name doesn’t give it all away either, amidst the moody, lumbering jazz are foggy textures and swathes of electronica, doom, and ambient soundscapes. The beauty of From the Stairwel lured me in, but it was the all-crushing doom bass assault at the end of I Foresee the Dark Ahead if I Stay that ensured me that this ensemble would be my new obsession. Too bad I discovered them right after they stopped (supposedly) making music. And while I’m on the topic of the information age, I honestly think it’s rad that I can barely find any information on this group online at all. Not even a damn Facebook or Bandcamp….although I would like a way to buy some vinyl please.
The (slightly) Discerning Bassist 