The collective of artists on International Anthem makes the label a multi-stylistic grab bag for which the term »jazz« has always been far too narrow. Ben LaMar Gay embodies this spirit in a single person, becoming the archetypal artist for the Chicago label. The composer, cornetist and singer doesn’t need to cross boundaries, because for him, they simply don’t exist.
Yowzers is, depending on how you count, his third or fourth solo album, and each of its twelve tracks could serve as an example of the singularity of his music. On »The Glorification Of Small Victories«, Ben LaMar Gay plays a few crooked lines on the cornet while the percussion clatters cheerfully in the background. »There Inside The Morning Glory« takes Zappa-like turns, while »Damn You Cute« sounds like an Irish folk song that’s been scalded. »I Am (Bells)« moves from a cappella spiritual folk into a small-scale Sun Ra cacophony. Yet Ben LaMar Gay has also learned his jazz lessons well: a small choir creates a bridge back to Max Roach and Archie Shepp.
