Free Radicals (band)

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Free Radicals
Free Rads Street Band in 2022
Free Rads Street Band in 2022
Background information
OriginHouston, Texas, U.S.
GenresJazz, funk, ska, reggae, klezmer, hip hop, world[1]
Years active1996–present
MembersPete Sullivan
Nick Cooper
Al Bear
Jacob Breier
Chris Valero
Zack Hamburg
Jason Jackson
Muhammad Jafari
Jon Durbin
Nick Gonzalez
Tavian Morgan
[2]
Websitewww.freerads.com

Free Radicals is an American band from Houston, Texas, that combines elements of several genres: jazz, funk, ska, reggae, hip-hop, African, and Indian music.

History[edit]

The Free Radicals live band includes six or seven members.[3] On recordings — The Rising Tide Sinks All (1998), Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights (2000), Aerial Bombardment (2004), and The Freedom Fence (2012)[4] — Free Radicals invites a group of 50 or more musicians and vocalists into the studio.

Drummer Nick Cooper founded the group in 1996, with a goal of specializing in improvised music.[3] In 2000, The New Yorker wrote, "The horn-heavy, continually evolving collective Free Radicals produces a wildly eclectic fusion that has as many influences as there are items in the Houston, Texas, pawnshop in which they honed their sound during all-night jam sessions."[5] In 2010, Dawn wrote that the artwork and message about underwater oil-leaks, oil-wars, and bank-crashes on the band's first CD was like a "premonition waiting to become true."[6] Free Radicals frequent collaborators and guest musicians include Al Pagliuso, Dan Cooper, Harry Sheppard, Gloria Edwards, Nelson Mills III, Subhendu Chakraborty, and Karina Nistal.

The Free Radicals perform many concerts,[7] marches, and fundraisers for anti-authoritarian and radical groups like food not bombs, peace festivals, and charity events including a continuous 24-hour concert in November 1999 to raise money for Kid Care, a health program for children.[8] They have protested against Halliburton, and participated in marches for immigrant rights and for a Houston janitor's union.[8]

Awards and honors[edit]

Free Radicals has won the following 21 awards in Houston

[9]
  • 1998: Best Jazz, Best Unsigned Band[10]
  • 1999: Best Jazz, Best Funk, Best Drummer[10]
  • 2001: Best Jazz[11]
  • 2002: Best Jazz[10]
  • 2003: Best Jazz[10]
  • 2004: Best CD by Local Musicians[12]
  • 2008: Best Jazz[13]
  • 2009: Best Jazz, Best Drummer[14]
  • 2010: Best Jazz,[15]
  • 2011: Best Jazz,[16]
  • 2012: Best CD "The Freedom Fence", Best Song "Ben Taub Blues", Best Jazz [17]
  • 2013: Best Jazz [18]
  • 2014: Best Jazz [19]
  • 2015: Best Jazz [20]
  • 2020: #1 Best Local Album 2020: "White Power Outage" [21]

Discography[edit]

  • 1998: The Rising Tide Sinks All
  • 2000: Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights
  • 2004: Aerial Bombardment
  • 2012: The Freedom Fence
  • 2015: Freedom of Movement
  • 2017: Outside the Comfort Zone
  • 2018: No State Solution (with DJ Sun) (compilation/remix album)
  • 2020: White Power Outage, Vol. 1
  • 2022: White Power Outage, Vol. 2

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Rowland, Hobart. "The Free Radicals". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  2. ^ Radic, Randall (April 8, 2022). "Interview: Free Radicals Talk about New Single and Their Forthcoming Album — 'White Power Outage Volume 2'". Pop Off. p. 1.
  3. ^ a b Okuhara, Greg (June 1, 2006). "Music Notes: Free Radicals set to bombard Bryan". Knight Ridder News. p. 1.
  4. ^ Dansby, Andrew (June 15, 2012). "Free Radicals Tear Down Fences". 2995. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  5. ^ "Music". The New Yorker. March 27, 2000. p. 1.
  6. ^ Ghazi, Sahar Habib (July 12, 2010). "Jewish music for Palestine". Dawn.
  7. ^ Serrano, Shea (April 29, 2009). "Fresh Fruit: Mango's attempts to resurrect Westheimer's bohemian past". The Houston Press.
  8. ^ a b Okuhara, Greg (July 5, 2007). "Musical reaction to Houston's Free Radicals". Knight Ridder News. p. 1.
  9. ^ Rouner, Jeff (January 28, 2011). "Free Radicals Blend Break-Dancing, Capoeira Into Fitz's Show". Houston Press.
  10. ^ a b c d Lomax, John (July 27, 2006). "Bring Back the Jams!". Houston Press. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013.
  11. ^ "Mount Coy". Houston Press. July 26, 2001.
  12. ^ "Best CD by Local Musicians". Houston Press.
  13. ^ "2008 HPMA Winner List". Houston Press. July 30, 2008.
  14. ^ "The 2009 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. July 31, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  15. ^ "Like Hell Yeah". Houston Press. August 19, 2010.
  16. ^ "Your 2011 Houston Press Music Awards Winners". Houston Press. November 16, 2011.
  17. ^ "The 2012 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. August 8, 2012.
  18. ^ "The 2013 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. August 7, 2013.
  19. ^ "The 2014 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. August 8, 2014. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  20. ^ "Suffers Dominate But Hpmas Celebrate Every Corner Of Houston Music Scene". Houston Press. August 21, 2015.
  21. ^ "Houston music 2020: The best of the local albums". Houston Chronicle. January 4, 2021.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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