Genres Jazz fusion Genre Jazz fusion Associated acts Last Exit, Material | Years active 1987–1988 Albums SXL Live in Japan | |
Past members Aïyb Dieng
Ronald Shannon Jackson
Bill Laswell
SamulNori
L. Shankar Record labels Celluloid Records, Enemy Records Similar Aïyb Dieng, Bill Laswell, Last Exit, Ronald Shannon, Material | ||
SXL was an jazz fusion ensemble, formed in 1987 by composer Bill Laswell. The nucleus also comprised musicians Aïyb Dieng, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and L. Shankar with SamulNori, the internationally renowned South Korean percussion quartet. Their loosely structured music was built on a combination of Indian drones, funk music and densely layered percussion.
Contents
History
Bill Laswell desired to explore a fusion of funk and world music. The musical supergroup was conceived to perform a series of live performances in Japan from July to August 1987. Composer and keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto was also booked to play in the group but dropped from the project shortly before the tour. Their concerts between the first and second of August attracted a combined audience of 30,000. These performances were recorded and would comprise their debut album Live in Japan, released in 1987. High praise for the performances was given by Jazz Forum magazine, who said, "whatever readers may think they know about the chequered history of culture fusion they have not heard anything remotely like the results of this counterbalancing of free improvising, time playing and ethnic traditional elements." After the tour, Samulnori released their debut album Record of Changes in 1988, which was produced by Laswell and devoted to shaman music.
Discography
Songs
Clouds - Wind - Rain - Thunder and Lightning1987
Madivu1987
SXL Exorcism1987