THE NOVA MOB
Wacko Jazz
[spring/summer 1974]
Johnny Ellis: Drums, voice, composer
Ben Miller: Alto Saxophone, composer
Laurence Miller: Bb and Bass Clarinet, composer
Donny Davis: Alto Saxophone, composer
of THE CRUZONIC JAZZ ENSEMBLE. The Mob formed shortly after The Ensemble's recital concert at Berklee College
February 19th, 1974. Though still retaining a lose free form improvisation, The Mob's compositions became
more closely knit and of higher contrast as opposed to the heavier handed Cruzonic approach.
The Heart of THE NOVA MOB below
[June 1974 Boston]
LAURENCE: snorkel BENJAMIN: spray paint, etc. JOHNNY: cymbal for a hat and whistle, maybe...
By ear.ly 1974 Laurence was reported to waking up to music in his head composed by the clanking rhythms of the steam radiator in
his bedroom. Inspired by this random subconscious intrusion, he devised a simple, barbaric system he called "Mirror Image Harmony".
An idea in which concert C represented concert C, where B then was C#, and A# then was D, and so on and so forth until you got back to
C ~ being C again. This paved the way for developmental guess work in composition as close to John Cage as Laurence had ever hoped he'd ever get.
"Mirror Image ..."
" __________________ "
expressing attitude on the roof of Symphony Road apartments in Boston summer 1974
The music of THE NOVA MOB will some day be digitally remastered and
