Break Stuff: Break Stuff

Break Stuff is what happens after formal elements have been addressed. Vijay Iyer calls the break a span of time in which to act. It's the basis for breakdowns, breakbeats, and break dancing... it can be the moment when everything comes to life. A number of the pieces here are breakdowns of other Iyer constructions. Some are from a suite premiered at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, some derive from Open City, a collaboration with novelist Teju Cole and large ensemble. The trio energetically recasts everything it touches. Hood is a tribute to Detroit techno pioneer Robert Hood. On Work, Vijay pays homage to his number one hero, Thelonious Monk. Countdown reconsiders the classic Coltrane tune inside a rhythmic framework inspired by West African music. Mystery Woman is driven by compound pulses which owe a debt to South Indian drumming. Fast moving and quick-witted, the group has developed a strong musical identity of it's own, with an emphasis on what Iyer calls co-constructing, explorin