Free Radicals (band) explained

Free Radicals
Background:group_or_band
Origin:Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genre:Jazz, funk, ska, reggae, klezmer, hip hop, world[1]
Years Active:1996–present
Current Members:Pete Sullivan
Nick Cooper
Al Bear
Jacob Breier
Chris Valero
Jonathan Grantham
Jason Jackson
Muhammad Jafari
Jon Durbin
Nick Gonzalez
Tavian Morgan
[2]

Free Radicals is an American band from Houston, Texas, that combines elements of several genres: jazz, funk, ska, reggae, hip-hop, African, and Indian music.

History

The Free Radicals live band includes six or seven members.[3] On recordings — The Rising Tide Sinks All (1998), Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights (2000), Aerial Bombardment (2004), and The Freedom Fence (2012)[4] — Free Radicals invites a group of 50 or more musicians and vocalists into the studio.

Drummer Nick Cooper founded the group in 1996, with a goal of specializing in improvised music. In 2000, The New Yorker wrote, "The horn-heavy, continually evolving collective Free Radicals produces a wildly eclectic fusion that has as many influences as there are items in the Houston, Texas, pawnshop in which they honed their sound during all-night jam sessions."[5] In 2010, Dawn wrote that the artwork and message about underwater oil-leaks, oil-wars, and bank-crashes on the band's first CD was like a "premonition waiting to become true."[6] Free Radicals frequent collaborators and guest musicians include Al Pagliuso, Dan Cooper, Harry Sheppard, Gloria Edwards, Nelson Mills III, Subhendu Chakraborty, and Karina Nistal.

The Free Radicals perform many concerts,[7] marches, and fundraisers for anti-authoritarian and radical groups like food not bombs, peace festivals, and charity events including a continuous 24-hour concert in November 1999 to raise money for Kid Care, a health program for children.[8] They have protested against Halliburton, and participated in marches for immigrant rights and for a Houston janitor's union.

Awards and honors

Free Radicals has won the following 21 awards in Houston

[9]

Discography

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rowland . Hobart . The Free Radicals . AllMusic . 15 July 2018.
  2. News: Radic. Randall. Interview: Free Radicals Talk about New Single and Their Forthcoming Album — 'White Power Outage Volume 2'. 1. Pop Off. 2022-04-08.
  3. News: Okuhara. Greg. Music Notes: Free Radicals set to bombard Bryan. 1. Knight Ridder News. 2006-06-01.
  4. News: Dansby. Andrew. Free Radicals Tear Down Fences. 2995. 2012-06-15. June 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120619024135/http://www.29-95.com/music/story/free-radicals-tear-down-fences. June 19, 2012. dead.
  5. Music. 1. The New Yorker. 2000-03-27.
  6. News: Ghazi. Sahar Habib . Jewish music for Palestine . Dawn. 2010-07-12.
  7. News: Serrano. Shea. Fresh Fruit: Mango's attempts to resurrect Westheimer's bohemian past.. The Houston Press. 2009-04-29.
  8. News: Okuhara. Greg. Musical reaction to Houston's Free Radicals. 1. Knight Ridder News. 2007-07-05.
  9. News: Rouner. Jeff. Free Radicals Blend Break-Dancing, Capoeira Into Fitz's Show. Houston Press. 2011-01-28. January 28, 2011. February 2, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110202061701/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2011/01/free_radicals_blend_break-danc.php. dead.
  10. News: Mount Coy. Houston Press. 2001-07-26.
  11. News: Lomax. John. Bring Back the Jams!. https://archive.today/20130103101335/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/houstoned/2006/07/bring_back_the_jams.php. dead. 2013-01-03. Houston Press. 2006-07-27.
  12. News: Best CD by Local Musicians. Houston Press.
  13. News: 2008 HPMA Winner List. Houston Press. 2008-07-30. August 3, 2008. December 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141217172532/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2008/07/2008_hpma_winner_list.php. dead.
  14. News: The 2009 Houston Press Music Award Winners. Houston Press. 2009-07-31. July 31, 2009. March 5, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120305223359/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2009/07/the_2009_houston_press_music_a.php. dead.
  15. News: Like Hell Yeah. Houston Press. 2010-08-19.
  16. News: Your 2011 Houston Press Music Awards Winners. Houston Press. 2011-11-16.
  17. News: The 2012 Houston Press Music Award Winners. Houston Press. 2012-08-08. August 9, 2012. August 12, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120812063022/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2012/08/2012_houston_press_music_award_2.php. dead.
  18. News: The 2013 Houston Press Music Award Winners. Houston Press. 2013-08-07. August 7, 2013. October 6, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006144920/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2013/08/2013_houston_press_music_award_2.php?page=2. dead.
  19. News: The 2014 Houston Press Music Award Winners. Houston Press. 2014-08-08. August 8, 2014. January 13, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150113232530/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2014/08/the_2014_houston_press_music_a_1.php. dead.
  20. News: Suffers Dominate But Hpmas Celebrate Every Corner Of Houston Music Scene. . 2015-08-21.
  21. News: Houston music 2020: The best of the local albums. . 2021-01-04.

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