Free Radicals (band)

Free Radicals is an American band from Houston, Texas, that combines elements of several genres: jazz, funk, ska, reggae, hip-hop, African, and Indian music.

Free Radicals
OriginHouston, Texas, U.S.
GenresJazz, funk, ska, reggae, klezmer, hip hop, world[1]
Years active1996–present
Websitewww.freerads.com
MembersPete Sullivan
Nick Cooper
Al Alexander Jr.
Jacob Breier
Chris Valero
Chris Davis
Jason Jackson
Muhammad Jafari

History

The Free Radicals live band includes six or seven members.[2] On recordings — The Rising Tide Sinks All (1998), Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights (2000), Aerial Bombardment (2004), and The Freedom Fence (2012)[3] — Free Radicals invites a group of 50 or more musicians and vocalists into the studio.

Drummer Nick Cooper founded the group in 1996, with a goal of specializing in improvised music.[2] In 2000, The New Yorker wrote, "The horn-heavy, continually evolving collective Free Radicals produces a wildly eclectic fusion that has as many influences as there are items in the Houston, Texas, pawnshop in which they honed their sound during all-night jam sessions."[4] In 2010, Dawn wrote that the artwork and message about underwater oil-leaks, oil-wars, and bank-crashes on the band's first CD was like a "premonition waiting to become true."[5] Free Radicals frequent collaborators and guest musicians include Al Pagliuso, Dan Cooper, Harry Sheppard, Gloria Edwards, Nelson Mills III, and Subhendu Chakraborty.

The Free Radicals perform many concerts,[6] marches, and fundraisers for anti-authoritarian and radical groups like food not bombs, peace festivals, and charity events including a continuous 24-hour concert in November 1999 to raise money for Kid Care, a health program for children.[7] They have protested against Halliburton, and participated in marches for immigrant rights and for a Houston janitor's union.[7]

Awards and honors

Free Radicals has won the following 21 awards in Houston

[8]
  • 1998: Best Jazz, Best Unsigned Band[9]
  • 1999: Best Jazz, Best Funk, Best Drummer[9]
  • 2001: Best Jazz[10]
  • 2002: Best Jazz[9]
  • 2003: Best Jazz[9]
  • 2004: Best CD by Local Musicians[11]
  • 2008: Best Jazz[12]
  • 2009: Best Jazz, Best Drummer[13]
  • 2010: Best Jazz,[14]
  • 2011: Best Jazz,[15]
  • 2012: Best CD "The Freedom Fence", Best Song "Ben Taub Blues", Best Jazz [16]
  • 2013: Best Jazz [17]
  • 2014: Best Jazz [18]
  • 2015: Best Jazz [19]
  • 2020: #1 Best Local Album 2020: "White Power Outage" [20]

Discography
  • 1998: The Rising Tide Sinks All
  • 2000: Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights
  • 2004: Aerial Bombardment
  • 2012: The Freedom Fence
  • 2015: Freedom of Movement
  • 2017: Outside the Comfort Zone
  • 2018: No State Solution (with DJ Sun) (compilation/remix album)
  • 2020: White Power Outage, Vol. 1

Notes
  1. Rowland, Hobart. "The Free Radicals". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  2. Okuhara, Greg (June 1, 2006). "Music Notes: Free Radicals set to bombard Bryan". Knight Ridder News. p. 1.
  3. Dansby, Andrew (June 15, 2012). "Free Radicals Tear Down Fences". 2995. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  4. "Music". The New Yorker. March 27, 2000. p. 1.
  5. Ghazi, Sahar Habib (July 12, 2010). "Jewish music for Palestine". Dawn.
  6. Serrano, Shea (April 29, 2009). "Fresh Fruit: Mango's attempts to resurrect Westheimer's bohemian past". The Houston Press.
  7. Okuhara, Greg (July 5, 2007). "Musical reaction to Houston's Free Radicals". Knight Ridder News. p. 1.
  8. Rouner, Jeff (January 28, 2011). "Free Radicals Blend Break-Dancing, Capoeira Into Fitz's Show". Houston Press.
  9. Lomax, John (July 27, 2006). "Bring Back the Jams!". Houston Press. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013.
  10. "Mount Coy". Houston Press. July 26, 2001.
  11. "Best CD by Local Musicians". Houston Press.
  12. "2008 HPMA Winner List". Houston Press. July 30, 2008.
  13. "The 2009 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. July 31, 2009.
  14. "Like Hell Yeah". Houston Press. August 19, 2010.
  15. "Your 2011 Houston Press Music Awards Winners". Houston Press. November 16, 2011.
  16. "The 2012 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. August 8, 2012.
  17. "The 2013 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. August 7, 2013.
  18. "The 2014 Houston Press Music Award Winners". Houston Press. August 8, 2014.
  19. "Suffers Dominate But Hpmas Celebrate Every Corner Of Houston Music Scene". Houston Press. August 21, 2015.
  20. "Houston music 2020: The best of the local albums". Houston Chronicle. January 4, 2021.

References
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