Onyx Collective – Lower East Suite Part Three [Big Dada]

This week on Morning Mari* our album of the week is Onyx Collective with Lower East Suite Part Three, released via Big Dada on 15th June 2018. Onyx Collective are known for their impromptu performances in both rugged DIY spaces and esteemed clubs alike.

Onyx Collective runs a manic energy through their classical training to create a show that at times feels as punk as it does jazz. The album features de-facto band leader Isaiah Barr on alto and tenor saxophone, Austin Williamson on drums, Walter Stinson on upright bass, Spencer Murphy on electric bass, and Roy Nathanson as guest saxophone on four tracks.

Though a group of New York mainstays also cross in and out of the Onyx Collective universe, often performing live with the band, including Nick Hakim, Princess Nokia, Dev Hynes (Blood Orange), Wiki (Ratking), Julian Soto and Felix Pastorius.

Lower East Suite Part Three has a much more ominous sound than previous Onyx Collective releases, reflective of the dissonance that accompanies life in the city. The album is preceded by EPs Lower East Suite Part One and ..Two, respectively released in October and December of 2017 on Big Dada, and follows the group’s limited edition vinyl-only 2nd Avenue Rundown, a collection of live recordings released via Supreme and Know Wave in 2016.