Formed in Chicago in 1997, the Chicago Underground Duo is an avant-garde jazz project created by Rob Mazurek (cornet, trumpet, electronics) and Chad Taylor (drums, percussion, marimba, vibraphone, electronics, mbira). Born out of an improvisation workshop Mazurek devised at the famous Green Mill Jazz Club in 1996, the duo quickly matured into the nucleus of an expansive musical entity, giving rise to various configurations such as the Chicago Underground Trio, the Chicago Underground Quartet and an orchestra of the same name, depending on the projects developed. The first album, 12° of Freedom, recorded in the early months of 1997 and released in October 1998 on the independent label Thrill Jockey, lays the foundations for a free and inventive music, inspired by the free jazz formations and complex, sometimes dissonant constructions of Cecil Taylor, Anthony Braxton and Jeff Parker. With Synesthesia (recorded in autumn 1999, released in May 2000), the duo pursues a dialogue between Bitches Brew-style fusion, minimalist jazz and electronic sounds, revealing the finesse of reduced instrumentation in an aesthetic that is both hypnotic and percussive. In 2002, Axis and Alignment represents a more abrasive and abstract turn, exploring sound collages where broken rhythms, vibraphone and electronic effects boldly collide. After a few years' hiatus, the duo returned with In Praise of Shadows (2006), followed by Boca Negra (2010), recorded in São Paulo and blending groove rhythms, ambient explorations and exotic instruments like the mbira. Over the next few years, with the release of their albums Age of Energy (2012) and Locus (2014) on the Northern Spy label, the duo accentuated their electronic side and studio experimentation, striving to create new sonic textures without losing any of their improvised formula. After a period of virtual recording silence lasting over a decade, the collaboration resumed in 2024, culminating in the release of their eighth album Hyperglyph in August 2025, this time on the International Anthem label.
