Zebradonk

A bizarre disc by a bizarre band. This jazz-inspired trio, which includes sometime members of Toronto acts Klave Kongo and One Step Beyond, will no doubt appeal to fans of other T.O. freaksters, Guh and the Woodchoppers. Hard to describe without getting all obscure on your ass, Zebradonk boasts Mingus/Sun Ra/Beefheart-style improvisational quirkiness intertwined with what Al “The Green Hornet” Hirt would have sounded like had something wacky been slipped into his bourbon. Armed only with a drum kit, a trumpet and an alto saxophone (along with the odd bit of bass and melodica), Zebradonk take convention and piss all over it. “Radio Friendly Virginia” and “Down Caribbean Way” open the disc as if it were a Caro and Jeunet soundtrack, while the more straight-ahead “Fuzz” gives way to the intentionally ponderous “Alcheriee” and “Wishy Washy.” A follow-up disc is evidently already available from this group, who, by the way, look great in lederhosen.