Issue 28 2003-01-20

CD Review: byproduct

BYPRODUCT

Self-titled

BYP Records

byproduct is what happens when three talented and diligent musicians have known each other forever and have been playing together for almost as long. This album, their self-titled debut, is something to bring home to mamma.

This McGill-trained trio is traditional for the most part, with brothers Jim Doxas on drums and Chester Doxas on saxophone, and Zack Lober on the double bass. Chester also does the electronics, which is a welcome addition to their traditional jazzy interchange.

The best things about jazz are the hills and mountains; that is, the climbs and the falls, and the endings that never come (and then do). These boys are so busy finishing each others’ sentences that their build-ups sneak up on you like the end of summer.

The bass on “Appalachian Theme” fills the room with quiet command, tapped gently by the subtle percussion. “Lana” starts out like the overture for West Side Story as sax and bass slide along the same riff, but when the cymbal interrupts them, the sax takes off on its own, leaving the other two in the dust. It’s a great moment. Other mentionables are “Future Girl,” for its fantastic beats and fanatical horn and “Quarter Life Crisis.”

One weird thing about this album is that you get to know the songs. Jazz is the antithesis of pop – you aren’t supposed to find yourself humming “So, What?” in the shower. But somehow, byproduct’s songs get into your head. It’s not that their music is elementary or poppy, its just really well put together.

-Talia Berman

This album is a serious treasure. It’s the kind of jazz you want in your living room and your bedroom. And keep an ear out, because these boys are definitely around town, and the shows are definitely not anything you want to miss.