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Hanging Hearts

Hanging Hearts is a free-spirited, Chicago-based trio described by European audiences as "hammering the walls between genres." Bridging the gap between jazz, rock, and experimental music, the band offers listeners what is ultimately their own tribal music—a combination of their varying musical backgrounds ranging from jazz and classical, to funk, alternative soul, and full on metal. Each a bandleader and composer in their own right, Hanging Hearts features Chris Weller on tenor and bass saxophones, Cole DeGenova on keyboards, and Devin Drobka on drums.

In June 2016, Hanging Hearts went back into the studio at Howl Street Recordings in Milwaukee, WI with drummer Dave King of The Bad Plus as producer to make their second album, Into a Myth. A strong step forward from their last, the record features eight cut-to-the-chase originals referencing various themes from creation myths to cosmic rights of passage. Into a Myth releases on June 9, 2017 on the Minneapolis-based label Shifting Paradigm Records with supporting U.S. tours.

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2
Album Review

Hanging Hearts: Into a Myth

Read "Into a Myth" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


From Minneapolis, the city that gave us The Bad Plus, here is another trio with a distinctive take on mixing jazz and rock. However Hanging Hearts serve up a sound that takes some of the jazz-rock ideas of the Seventies and amps them up into a louder, punkier present. The opening clash of harsh tenor sax and clanging electric piano on “Return Of Saturn" recalls the Elton Dean-Hugh Hopper era of The Soft Machine before it settles into ...

1
Album Review

Hanging Hearts: Into A Myth

Read "Into A Myth" reviewed by Roger Farbey


Hanging Hearts pack quite a punch for a trio, a bass-less trio at that. Saxophonist Chris Weller takes the lead on “Return Of Saturn" with guttural tenor, after which an anthemic ensemble melody is established. There's a real sense of jazz rock here, but undoubtedly erring on the side of jazz. Cole DeGenova establishes a keyboard riff on the exuberant “Pilsen" before the band joins in accompanied by Dave King from the Bad Plus on tambourine. Notably, King also produced ...

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“James Brown could have found some funk in Hanging Hearts. These guys are from Chicago, the ghosts of legendary Windy City tenor players like Fred Anderson and Von Freeman blow through Chris Weller’s intentions. He’s done the Berklee College of Music thing and DeGenova’s been a soul-boy, with this album comes the time to shake the wider world. What I hear is self belief played with strength and it’s there for the taking.” -Steve Day, Sandy Brown Jazz

“Tenor sax player Chris Weller, who has a big Joe Lovano-like sound deep down but plays more free, keyboardist Cole DeGenova, and drummer Devin Drobka have a thing going it’s clear. The record doesn’t overstay its welcome with the self-composed Ornettian ‘Doo-Wop’ the big statement clocking in at nearly nine minutes, while the treatment of Ellington’s ‘The Single Petal of a Rose’ is really fresh and last track ‘Confucius Says’ is tender and beautifully naïve. Free bop with a rock edge to it avant fans will immediately get the band, one that teeters on the edge of chaos time and time again yet all three know how to push the reset button back from the edge to relative safety.” -Stephen Graham, Marlbank

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Into a Myth

Shifting Paradigm Records
2017

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Chris Weller's...

Unknown label
2014

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