Praxis (band)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
Praxis is the name of an ever-changing Bill Laswell musical project. Praxis combines elements of different musical genres such as funk, jazz, hip-hop and heavy metal into highly improvised music. First appearing in 1992 with the critically acclaimed Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis), Buckethead, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell and Brain have defined the direction of the band over the last 15 years.
Contents |
Performers
The following musicians have contributed to the various Praxis experiments:
- Buckethead on guitars
- Bootsy Collins on bass and vocals
- Bernie Worrell on keyboards
- Bill Laswell on bass
- Les Claypool on bass, whamola, and vocals
- DJ Disk on turntables
- Af Next Man Flip on turntables
- Invisibl Skratch Piklz on turntables
- DXT on turntables
- Brain on drums
- Cindy Blackman on drums
- Yamatsuka Eye on vocals
- Toshinori Kondo on trumpet
- Hakim Bey on vocals, and inspiration
- Lili Haydn on violin
- John Zorn on saxophone
- Mick Harris on drums
- Alex Haas on treatments, keyboards, and process
- David Castellan on loops, textures, and compost
- Julian Joyce as "DarkStep Junglist"
- Pat Thrall on guitars
- Anne Pollack on flutes
- Charlotta Jansen on vocals
- Peter Wetherbee on drums, guitars, vocals, synthesis, loops, beats, and noise
- Serj Tankian on vocals
- Iggy Pop on vocals
- Maximum Bob on vocals
Musical styles
Between the influence of Laswell and Buckethead, Praxis's musical experimentation in both studio, street and live settings have combined elements of mid-70’s Funkadelic & Miles Davis, hip-hop’s more avant-guarde leanings, and Last Exit's ferocious yet organic jazz/metal aesthetic. Many of these experiments defined (and in some sense, invented) diverse, eclectic, and freeform genres including avant-garde, heavy metal, funk and jazz-fusion.
Discography
Studio Albums
- 1992: Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)
- 1994: Sacrifist
- 1994: Metatron
- 1998: Mold
- 2008: Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
EPs and Compilations
- 1992: A Taste of Mutation
- 1997: 1984 (EP)
- 1998: Collection
Live
- 1997: Live in Poland
- 1997: Transmutation Live
- 1999: Warszawa
- 2005: Zurich
- 2007: Tennessee 2004
