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Following the release of their debut album "Songs From The Big Book Of Love" and it's cassette companion "Hash Eaters & Peacekeepers" on Pink Palace Records this May, Michael Zerang & The Blue Lights (European Edition) are heading to Germany, Poland & Austria next month to present Zerang's original compositions written for this brand new band, plus arrangements of Middle Eastern tunes that inspired him in his youth.

A short but insightful interview with composer, percussionist and bandleader Michael Zerang from Avant Music News, talking about entering the music through Rahsaan Roland Kirk, the Chicago music scene, his new projects and two upcoming European tours this Fall.

Kudos to Jez Nelson and Peter Margasak for this great feature/playlist on the ‪#Chicago‬ scene at ‪BBCRadio3's JazzOn3‬! Go have a listen to Michael Zerang & The Blue Lights "Dacing for Cigarettes", taken from the debut album "Songs from the Big Book of Love," released on ‪#‎PinkPalace‬ Recordings, May 15! Direct streaming link: http://bbc.in/1Fhxhcu

«If the recording is more accessible than listeners might have expected from well-known Chicago innovators such as Zerang and colleagues, the live performance at Constellation was still more alluring. Though certainly not for everyone's tastes, the music of percussionist Zerang & the Blue Lights clearly has been designed to welcome listeners into the world of avant-garde jazz. It would be difficult to imagine a much more effective enticement.»

Michael Zerang has been called a “beyond category” musician and is considered by his peers to be one of the most accomplished and consistently engaging musicians currently active on the jazz scene today. Michael Zerang has performed with a who’s who of creative musicians spanning two continents. He resume includes work with fellow Chicago-based musicians Ken Vandermark and Hamid Drake as well as the sorely missed Fred Anderson.

This exciting new group will be touring Europe this winter between 9-30 November in order to promote the debut release "Songs From The Big Book Of Love", a CD containing eight original compositions by Michael Zerang, due for release in May on the Pink Palace label.