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The Lounge Lizards

From Alfawiki
The Lounge Lizards
Company typeMusical group
IndustryMusic
Founded1978
FounderJohn Lurie, Evan Lurie
Defunctc. 2000
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
ProductsJazz music albums and performances

The Lounge Lizards emerged in 1978 as a distinctive No Wave ensemble created by saxophonist John Lurie and pianist Evan Lurie. Initially recognized for their satirical approach to jazz, the group gradually transformed into a vehicle for John Lurie's refined compositions, which fused jazz with an array of musical influences. Remaining active until approximately 1998, the band consistently centered around the Lurie brothers, supported by a revolving roster of notable musicians from New York City.

Their name originates from American slang, describing a stylishly dressed man who frequents upscale establishments with the intent to captivate affluent women.

History

The founding members included John and Evan Lurie, guitarist Arto Lindsay, bassist Steve Piccolo, and percussionist Anton Fier. Although drawing from jazz traditions, John Lurie incorporated guitarists to intentionally disrupt the music whenever it became overly jazz-centric. Their debut album, titled The Lounge Lizards and released by EG Records in 1981 under the production of Teo Macero, featured two covers of Thelonious Monk compositions. However, critics often compared their sound more closely to avant-garde artists such as Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra. The initial group dissolved partly due to artistic disagreements and tensions with EG Records executives, alongside Lurie's own reservations about the band's authenticity.

Between 1982 and 1983, a transitional lineup included the Lurie brothers alongside bassist Tony Garnier, trombonist Peter Zummo, and drummer Dougie Bowne, with various other musicians participating; this formation did not produce any recordings.

By the mid-1980s, the ensemble expanded to feature bassist Erik Sanko, trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, guitarist Marc Ribot, saxophonist Roy Nathanson, and percussionists Dougie Bowne and E.J. Rodriguez. This iteration released live and studio albums that showcased John Lurie's increasingly intricate compositions, drawing inspiration from diverse sources such as "James Brown to Balinese music, from Varèse to Coltrane".

Their 1987 music video for Big Heart was featured on the adult animated series The Brothers Grunt.

In 1998, the band issued Queen of All Ears through John Lurie's label Strange and Beautiful Music, incorporating new members including Steven Bernstein, Michael Blake, and Oren Bloedow. Fred Bouchard of JazzTimes praised their work as "intelligent and rhythmically and harmonically interesting," noting that it transcended conventional jazz or rock classifications.

Since around 2000, The Lounge Lizards have remained inactive. John Lurie has since devoted his efforts to painting, while Evan Lurie contributed musically to The Backyardigans, a children's television series known for its eclectic musical styles.

Personnel

According to John Lurie, approximately 80 musicians have contributed to recordings or performances with the Lounge Lizards. Notable members featured:

Studio albums

Title Release date
Lounge Lizards 1981
No Pain for Cakes 1987
Voice of Chunk 1988
Queen of All Ears 1998

Live albums

Title Release date
Live from the Drunken Boat 1983
Live 79-81 1985
Big Heart: Live in Tokyo 1986
Live in Berlin 1991 Vol. I 1991
Live in Berlin 1991 Vol. II 1992
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