The Invention of Animals

John Lurie is best known for a quirky style of music he calls “fake jazz,” which mixes his dry sense of humor, punk, kitsch, bebop, and Raymond Scott’s zaniness. He's created it for several of his film scores, as well as with his infamous group The Lounge Lizards. Here his humor rears its head in the band title—this “Orchestra” only includes Lurie on saxophone and drummers Billy Martin and G. Calvin Weston. Lurie’s first album since 1999, this collection features out-of-print studio work from his Fishing with John TV shows ("Flutter," "The Beast," "Little," and "Ignore the Giant"), one studio cut from the trio’s only album (“Men with Sticks”), and unreleased live material ("I Came to Visit Here for Awhile" and the lengthy title cut). With the horn paired with two drummers who work a variety of drums and percussion, there's a distinct tribal feel not unlike with The Art Ensemble of Chicago. This is Lurie the player at his most exploratory, and it’s simply a treat that it’s available.