New York, NY (Top40 Charts) jaimie branch's Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) - the late trumpeter and composer's third and final album with her Fly or Die quartet composed of Lester St. Louis, bassist Jason Ajemian, and drummer Chad Taylor - has quickly established itself as the must-hear jazz release of 2023. The New York Times, in a Critic's Pick review, calls it "electrifying," while Pitchfork says it's"dazzling" and granted it their Best New
Music designation.
The
Chicago Reader deems it "an authentic expression of the trumpeter's incandescent life force" (Chicago Reader) and Stereogum says it's "one of the most vibrantly alive collections of music I've heard all year." The Guardian calls it "A testament to her dynamic mastery and storytelling scope." As of right now, it's the most highly reviewed album of the year at both Metacritic and Album Of The Year. See more love for the record below.
Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) just debuted on the Billboard Charts, hitting #3 on Contemporary Jazz Albums, #8 on Jazz Albums, and #67 on Top Current Album Sales — nestled among the likes of Beyonce, Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan, and Luke Combs. You can listen to / buy the album HERE.
A Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) album release event is set for October 2 at Roulette in Brooklyn. This record release show will begin with never-before-seen footage of branch and her band's final concert together, during which they played Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) in full (the only time the band ever did) to a live audience at Bemis Center for the Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska.
Directly following the screening will be live performances by Rob Mazurek,Ambrose Akinmusire, Dave Ballou, and other surprise guests, all of whom will come together to pay tribute to their friend, student and collaborator, jaimie branch.More information on October 2 album release event here.
Proceeds from the event will go towards The jaimie branch Foundation. The jaimie branch Foundation was established to ensure the energy, legacy and power of jaimie branch live on. The executive and artistic boards are made up of close family, friends and collaborators of branch. A few projects are underway, including an artist residency that will allow one solo artist to visit, work and even stay in the same cabin that branch occupied in Talkeetna, Alaska during the summer of 2020.
For more information, go to jaimiebranch.com and donorbox.org/the-jaimie-branch-foundation.
At the age of 39, jaimie "breezy" branch had already established herself at the vanguard of modern jazz composition, blurring genre boundaries and performing with an inimitable power. branch was also a tireless collaborator, who worked with samba icon Elza Soares; noise icons Wolf Eyes; indie stars like TV on the Radio,
Yo La Tengo and Spoon; British dub producer The Bug; the First Nations rock collective Medicine Singers; and various International Anthem labelmates, including Jeff Parker, Ben LaMar Gay, and Alabaster DePlume, among so many others. She even made a post-mortem appearance on
Talib Kweli & Madlib's album Liberation 2released earlier this spring, playing trumpet in a stunning co-composed duet with Madlib on keys.
Praise for Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
"Electrifying…If we're lucky, Branch's impact will be felt for years. Not just in the sound of improvised music, but in the fervor and hope — the all-on-the-table abandon — that improvisers put into attacking their craft."- New York Times, Critic's Pick
"The late trumpeter's third and final album opens dazzling new paths in her work. It's a heartbreaking glimpse of where she might have gone next, but more importantly, it's a joy to hear."- Pitchfork, Best New Music
"Amazing...A celebratory blast of punk jazz energy, one of the most vibrantly alive collections of music I've heard all year. Listen to it, and remember jaimie branch as a shooting star who passed by too quickly." - Stereogum
"jaimie branch isn't the kind of musician you talk about in the past tense…The trumpeter brought a blistering, fearless sound to every project she touched." -
Chicago Tribune
"A testament to her dynamic mastery and storytelling scope. The final cry of a formidable talent." - The Guardian
"As a travelogue through so many of her galaxies of sound, it attests to the grand dimensions of Branch's capabilities and, heartbreakingly, all she could have done next." - Slate
"Both a final call to action from jaimie - musical, spiritual, political - from beyond the grave and a tribute to jaimie, a tragic yet triumphant send-off from those who knew and loved her best." - FADER
."Even at her most D.I.Y. moments, Branch always seemed to be reaching for something bigger than herself, bridging musical styles and conjuring symphonies with just her horn, a bass, cello, and drums. Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) is both a pinnacle of that bold creative musical vision and a tantalizing spark of what might have been." - AllMusic
"These are big, lively songs that jump out and grab you. It's a blast to listen to, and it's a reminder that jaimie had just kept pushing forward all the way up to her very last days." - Brooklyn Vegan
"Finds her super-brassy, minimally-tooled groove machine in peak form." - MOJO
"Unmoored, unmannerly chamber jazz that would make John Zorn or Lester Bowie proud." - FLOOD
"A snapshot at brilliance hitting an apex…A balanced, poignant and moving swan song from one of our very best." - Paste
"A musical voice to be reckoned with…the band's finest effort." - TOP40-CHARTS
"A final glimpse of Jaimie Branch's meteoric talent...an authentic expression of the trumpeter's incandescent life force." -
Chicago Reader
"Bristling with fierce commitment, resolute engagement and compassionate defiance…It's a blast, a true celebration of raucous existence." - Spectrum Culture
"The sound is absolutely spectacular, three-dimensional, well-focuses and suffused with the room's natural ambience. Branch's trumpet shines brightly, well focused and bathed in the room's reverb. It's a sonic and musical party you do not want to miss." - Tracking Angle
"These nine songs burst about with full-throttle, hellion-rowdy, freaky consciousness-expanding shaman type verve." - Treble
"The interplay between the core quartet of branch, Lester St. Louis, Jason Ajemian, and Chad Taylor isn't something that can be manufactured with a detailed score; there's an understanding and a spirit between them that practically spills out of the album." - I Care If You Listen
"A bold and challenging artist who blurred the lines of jazz, punk-rock and experimentation yielding absolutely fascinating results." - Cultural Attache
"An eclectic modern adventure in protest jazz." - Monolith Cocktail
"she made music out of herself that wasn't about herself, but about her place in the world, an immediate and deep commonality with any and all listeners...branch's music explodes with heart." - Kill Yr Idols
"A forward-looking final statement from a musician whose ascending vision will be missed." - Qobuz
