Irreversible Entanglements

The spirit of Gil Scott-Heron, from his spoken-word recitations to his emphasis on black struggle and liberation, is tangible in the music of the modern band Irreversible Entanglements.  Irreversible Entanglements are a liberation-oriented free jazz collective formed in early 2015 by saxophonist Keir Neuringer, poet Camae Ayewa (a.k.a. Moor Mother) and bassist Luke Stewart, who came together to perform at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event organized after the slaying of Akai Gurley by the NYPD. Months later the group added trumpeter Aquiles Navarro and drummer Tcheser Holmes (a duo who also performed at the MAPB event). 

The tone of their compositions is decisively driven by Ayewa’s searing poetic narrations of black trauma, survival and power. The message is the undeniable essence of the music. Though free jazz with voice is an uncommon approach today, it harkens back to The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.