Universal Congress Of

Joe Baiza, who once played guitar in Saccharine Trust, first used the name Universal Congress Of for his 1987 solo album, only to adopt it later for his polished, groove-driven ensemble. That initial solo release extended the loosely structured, experimental jazz-rock he had pursued with Saccharine Trust, yet subsequent Baiza and UCO material favored tighter arrangements and clearer song forms. Baiza handled guitar while Steve Moss played saxophone, backed by capable rhythm teams such as Bob Fitzer and Paul Lines or Steve Gaeta and A. P. Gonzalez, and the group blended rock energy with jazz phrasing in a manner recalling James Blood Ulmer and Ornette Coleman. Their SST recordings retained a sharper punk attitude, whereas the albums issued on Enemy leaned more consistently toward straight jazz.