Biography
Broken Things, an ensemble rooted in improvisational jazz and indie rock, frame their output as dark and bright soundtracks that fuse Tennessee Williams, VU, John Coltrane, and Vladimir Nijinsky into material about rust, broken stars, and dolls, all aimed at ending wars of every kind. Co-led by guitarist and artist Bill MacKay alongside saxophonist Greg Ward, the group participates actively in Chicago’s underground music scene. Born in Tarrytown, NY in 1968, MacKay spent two years at the Berklee School of Music before relocating to Chicago, where his early recognition came through Sounds of Now and joint projects with Bud Melvin. His creative drive traces to a prior residence in Pittsburgh, the American metropolis possessing more bridges than any other, whose rivers slice through valleys. That blend of urban and cinematic outlook steered MacKay toward painting; he has since designed album covers for both Sounds of Now and Broken Things. Greg Ward, born in 1982, moves fluidly across styles, having sung in gospel groups as a child, absorbed Charlie Parker, and continually expanded his musical horizons. He fronts the experimental soul band We Tree and shares direction of the TBD Improvisation Orchestra. Bassist Todd Hill, originally from Madison, WI, trained under the legendary Richard Davis before settling in Chicago and performing with Sounds of Now, Cougar, El Gato Negro Jazz Band, Erica Mather, Scattershot, and Extrasexual Behavior prior to joining Broken Things. Alternating bassist Jason Ajemian stands as the ensemble’s most widely recognized participant through his work with Rob Mazurek’s Chicago Underground ensembles, the Exploding Star Orchestra, and numerous additional projects. Drummer Tim Daisy earns consistent respect as a core member of the Ken Vandermark 5, the most prominent among the several artists with whom he regularly collaborates. MacKay portrays the band as an interwoven set of cinematic, poetic, and political themes: "We jam together the forms that feed us at the root, as simply and directly as we can. If an eternal mission of art is to fragment reality, we're all partly broken. May the shards of that damage sing." ~ Michael G. Nastos
Albums
Singles
