Search - His Name Is Alive :: Sweet Earth Flower: A Tribute to Marion Brown

"Just the fact that one of our favorite bands dedicated a show to honoring the music of one of the greatest and most overlooked free jazz saxophonists and innovators of New Music that we know of was enough to make our list." -- Salon.com "HNIA, whose trademark has been mixing paradise with purgatory, have made an odd little Eden that's both peaceful and disorienting." -- SPIN "His Name Is Alive is one of the most remarkable creations of the pop underground ... it will stand the test of time." --Dusted Originally conceived as a free concert at the University of Michigan Museum of Art in 2004, recording for Sweet Earth Flower began shortly after that successful evening. Although the connection between His Name Is Alive and Marion Brown may not be obvious to some, this is a very special release in either artist's varied catalog. HNIA collaborates with members of NOMO and Antibala Afrobeat Orchestra to create both studio and live recordings, and Marion Brown has given the project his blessing. His Name Is Alive is probably best known for having been one of the few American bands signed to famed British label 4AD. The group's sonic experiments in electro, folk, blues, R&B, pop, and indie always left fans guessing what direction the band would turn next. The most popular recording was a song used on the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire; others may recognize the band from its collaborations with legendary animators The Brothers Quay. Here, HNIA has chosen to honor the music of Marion Brown--saxophonist, composer, and one of the great innovators of New Music. Although Brown appeared on John Coltrane's Ascension; performed alongside Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, and Archie Shepp; and recorded albums for IMPULSE!, ECM, Black Lion, and ESP-Disk', he remains a largely unsung hero of avant-garde jazz.