Experimental Charlotte outfit celebrates release with triple set bill

Charlotte's Great Architect, an improvisation-geared sextet that got its start in 2009, will celebrate the release of its new 7 inch record Thursday, December 22, at The Milestone (3400 Tuckaseegee Rd.). (Yep, that's a vinyl 45 like we use to fill our jukebox with growing up - and what a fantastic idea that would be to fill it not with my sister's Fat Boys' singles or my Prince and Blondie records, but actual current vinyl). The kinnikinnik Records' release features two tracks - "Mission: ALOHA" and "5 to the 6." It will be limited to 300 physical copies and is available for download.

Brent Bagwell, the group's saxophonist/clarinet player, sent me a link to the tracks last week and I find myself returning to listen to them frequently. You can do so here. In his email Bagwell called them "uncharacteristically backbeat-driven and coherent...a little love letter to David Shire and his `70s film score comrades, maybe?" I think that connection to `70s cinema is why I dig them so much. Shire is a composer best known for his scores for "Saturday Night Fever" (for which he won two Grammys), "The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3," "All the President's Men," and "2010." Not to mention "Short Circuit" and the theme from "Alice" (the sitcom!).

To commemorate the release the band is playing three sets at the Milestone and only charging $5. That amount includes a copy of the record. The first set will be a trimmed down configuration in the venue's bar area with two full band sets to follow in the main room. Great Architect (pictured above, photo by M. Baum) will perform material from all four of its kinnikinnik releases. Show at 8 p.m. For more details check out www.themilestoneclub.com.