The IgG Band – Ultra/Sound

Of all the obscure and rare releases for which diggers pay absurdly high prices, »Ultra/Sound« is likely to stand out in particular. But not due to the music’s sound though, the seven tracks mix funk, disco, soul and jazz with masterly craftsmanship and bass virtuosity. No, this record, reissued on the London label Kalita Records, rose to become a collector’s item because the IgG Band came into being under relatively unique circumstances and, due to the demanding professions of its members, never got back together again as a full line-up to produce new songs or even perform live. The group formed in 1979 at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee and finally delivered these seven successful songs in the following year. The band members scattered to all four corners of the United States even before they had graduated, where each found work as a research assistant. Dreamlike jazz pieces that groove defiantly and playfully at the same time, like »Infusion«, which is punctuated by fine saxophone interjections – no medical pun intended – or the much shorter closing piece »When I Think Of You«, which dazzles with its smooth guitar at a more moderate tempo, remain singular phenomena. The first numbers, in contrast, are far more poppy. »IgG Theme« sets the mood for daredevil dance moves in a doctor’s gown, »I Still Want You«, on the other hand, addresses interpersonal longings accompanied by slap bass and talented vocals. »Another Love Gone« offers even more variation and a gigantic dollop of soul – an exciting document of the times that is sure to be snapped off the shelves.