Chicago Underground Duo

Chicago Underground Duo is an experimental jazz and avant-garde outfit featuring cornetist Rob Mazurek and drummer/percussionist Chad Taylor. Formed in the late 1990s as part of the broader Chicago Underground collective, the duo explores a wide range of sonic territory, blending free jazz, electronic textures, and global rhythms into an immersive and often unpredictable listening experience. Both Mazurek and Taylor are deeply rooted in the Chicago jazz and improvised music scene, and their work together highlights a dynamic chemistry that relies as much on texture and atmosphere as it does on rhythm and melody.

Over the years, the Chicago Underground Duo has released a number of critically acclaimed albums on labels such as Thrill Jockey and Delmark, including Boca Negra, Axis and Alignment, and Age of Energy. Their minimalist setup—just cornet and drums, occasionally augmented with electronics and other instruments—allows for a remarkably expansive sound. Their music often feels like a conversation, one that embraces spontaneity, deep musical intuition, and a shared spirit of exploration.

Genres

Free Jazz

Nu Jazz

Experimental

Ambient

Electronic

Avant-garde

Jazz

Post-rock

Minimalism

Improvised Music

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Latest Release

Hyperglyph

Chicago Underground Duo

Single - Released August 15, 2025