Uncommon Grounds from Uncommon Grounds by CKRAFT

The title track "Uncommon Grounds" alludes to the enduring and universal nature of music, the diverse musical backgrounds and versatility of the performers, including an accordionist incorporating electronic sensors into the instrument, a saxophonist navigating traditional jazz and experimental music, a multi-instrumentalist guitarist with a strong classical foundation, a bassist recognized for recent work with Terry Line Carrington and Tigran Hamasyan, and a session drummer with a passion for rock and progressive metal.

The term "common ground" refers to a shared understanding, whereas "uncommon" signifies rarity or exceptional qualities. Composer Charles Kieny and his musicians navigate a stylistic realm that merges seemingly disparate worlds - jazz, metal, and medieval Gregorian chants - on the shared creative platform of a jazz-metal quintet.

The timelessness of art is celebrated through influences drawn from Middle Ages melodies and the reinterpretation of their beliefs: CKRAFT's universe is rooted in the legends and imagery of that era. The quintet immerses the audience in a realm that simultaneously feels familiar and enigmatic, where powerful and amplified riffs reminiscent of Gojira, Meshuggah, Car Bomb, coexist with psychedelic saxophone and accordion-synth passages evoking avant-garde jazz luminaries like John Coltrane and John Zorn.

CKRAFT men are craftsmen of an elaborate and powerful sound, borrowing from Metal its heaviness, from Jazz its shout for freedom, and from Gregorian repertoire its immortal melodies. The band's atypical line up brings face to face an aggressive power trio with the frenetic blast of tenor saxophone and an accordion augmented with electronic sensors.