Hoodies

I don't think any of us want to remember it but it happened. Five years ago we found ourselves locked in our homes, facing each day with fear and uncertainty. And each of us found our unique way to cope.

Some of us turned to spirituality. Some of us found new hobbies. Or got bitter and decided the world is an ugly place overall.

But for these three young men, that way turned out to meet up in public spaces around NYC and... play jazz. Jam. Enjoy the musical conversation that only jazz makes truly possible. And, most importantly, share it with others.

And that would be nothing but a warm and lovely story if it ended there. However, these three young men took that playing further. They played some more. Moved to clubs. Built an audience. Played at Newport.

And then, recorded Hoodies, a truly interesting record, and a big promise of this band's potential.

Before we dive into the music though, let me share some information I found about Hoodies.

Hoodies - The Album

• Hoodies is New Jazz Underground first studio album. Not their debut though. The trio did release some live recordings independently, and the ones I heard feature a mix of slightly more traditional approach to jazz trio playing, along with some early indications of what's to come on Hoodies.
• These earlier releases, as well as performances in New York's public spaces, helped the trio gained a solid following (also on YouTube), which led to them kickstarting the career (and a performance at Newport Jazz Festival in 2025.)
• The album is composed and produced primarily by bassist Sebastian Rios.
• The title references Trayvon Martin and Israel "Reefa" Hernandez, a high school friend of Rios, framing the hoodie as a social marker for young men of colour.

Hoodies - The Music

Hoodies is a straightforward sax trio record. It does not try to break a new ground, or be something more that it should be.

Granted, the first half is rooted more in modern jazz, with a touch of modern beat, while the other half features a blues suite (more on that later.) However, New Jazz Underground's playing never crosses a line between musicality and experiment (something I greatly appreciate on this record.)

In fact, the trio's focus seems to be on creating a musical experience, rather than showmanship or showing off their craft (which they have plenty of, by the way.) On Hoodies, every note has its place, playing focuses on melodies rather than musical pyro. Even bass solos, an instrument so hard solo on while delivering purely musical experience, turn to melody more than speed or finesse.

As a matter of fact, as I was listening, I kept thinking how many of the trios compositions resembles a traditional song format. Even when they begin improvising, when one of the trio's players begins their solo, the rest stays close, never drifting off too much from the main theme or the composition's structure.

Another thing that kept coming back to me, particularly as I was listening to the second half of the record, the mini blues suite was the band, Morphine.

New Jazz Underground is not a new Morphine, of course. But I could hear many similarities in the way both bands approach the sound of the trio, structure of their compositions, and the playing.

Finally, I made a note while listening that, most likely, sums up the record best: "New Jazz Underground seem to focus on creating good music rather than something they might not believe in themselves."

For a band so young, this is already a massive achievement, and a great sign for the things to come.

How does Hoodies sound?

Sound is where things get ... disappointing.

First, the album suffers from overcompression. The volume is pushed almost to the limit. There is almost no dynamics, no air or space between instruments.

In short, it's a modern production close to its worst.

The mix is quite dense, too, with the sound hitting you right in the face. Musicians are not spread on the soundstage. Only drums reach further than the center, most likely mixed that way to spread the sound a bit further (it is the easiest way to do it, after all.)

The only thing that saves this album from being a wall of noise is the music itself. Had the trio played in more experimental, less musical way, the sound would completely ruin the experience. But since there are no major frills, and things are kept very musical, the record remains listenable.

One thing I have to compliment is the drum sound. Drums not only sound natural but very present. Cymbals have a natural tone to them, and overall, the instrument is captured with enough detail to even let you hear the drum skins vibrating after being hit.

However, that is only one good sonic element of this record. The rest would certainly do with production that prioritizes listening experience over volume.