An avant-garde jazz and rock trio out of Rome, Italy,
Zu feature a punk-informed free jazz style that defies easy categorization. Formed in the late '90s, the trio consists of
Luca T. Mai on alto and baritone sax, Massimo Pupillo on bass, and
Jacopo Battaglia on drums. Ever touring and prolific,
Zu have a lengthy album discography that includes
Bromio (1999),
The Zu Side of Eugene Chadbourne (2000) and
Motorhellington (2001), both with
Eugene Chadbourne,
Igneo (vinyl LP in 2002 and CD in 2005),
Radiale (2004),
The Way of the Animal Powers (2005),
How to Raise an Ox (2005), and
Identification with the Enemy: A Key to the Underworld (2007), a collaboration with Japanese electronics wiz and DJ
Nobukazu Takemura.
–
Steve Leggett, Rovi