Cooper Crain is a bandleader, band member, producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter, improviser, and a player of organs, synths, guitars, and much more. First coming up as a member of the psychedelic, grooved-based Cave and then gaining more prominence with the hypnotic, meditative, and powerful Bitchin Bajas. The Bajas return this month with their new LP
Category: Bitchin Bajas
Bitchin Bajas :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
We spoke with Bitchin Bajas’ Cooper Crain just before Thanksgiving, as the band was preparing for an East Coast tour and moving forward on two new recordings: a second collaboration with Natural Information Society and a 12-hour improvised jam made last spring in the Azores. We talked about how these three make their music and how their audiences receive it, about starting over after a setback and about how music works best when it’s a bit of a mystery.
Bitchin Bajas :: Bajascillators
Just about 12 years into their trip, Bitchin Bajas just seem to get better and better. The Chicago trio, made up of Cooper Crain, Rob Frye and Daniel Quinlivan, has just released Bajascillators — and this new four-song collection is perhaps the most skilled and absorbing distillation of their sound yet. Things kick off with “Amorpha,” the kosmische groove strong right out of the gate, jewel-like textures swimming through the mix — this is undoubtedly a record that rewards headphone listeners.
Bitchin Bajas :: Switched On Ra
Chicago kosmische collective Bitchin Bajas covered Sun Ra’s “Angels and Demons At Play” back in 2017 on their brilliant Bajas Fresh double LP. And it was so good that it left the band’s fans clamoring for an encore. Well, here it is: Switched On Ra: eight awesome Sun Ra interpretations, a fitting tribute to a composer whose stature seems to grow with each passing year.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy & Bitchin Bajas: Epic Jammers and Fortunate Little Ditties
Will ” Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy ” Oldham has a habit of materializing in interesting places: behind the camera, shooting the cover of Slint’s Spiderland ; behind Johnny Cash , singing background vocals on the Man in Black’s […]
Transporting: Bitchin Bajas / Blues Control
Earlier this year, Chicago ambient trio Bitchin Bajas released a limited edition EP entitled Transporteur, via the European label Hands in the Dark. From the now sold-out EP, they’ve shared the nine-minute-plus […]
Bitchin Bajas / Cave :: Release
Is it possible that one of the most sublime and transporting pieces of music released in 2014 is by a band with the hard-to-say-with-a-straightface name Bitchin Bajas? Yes, yes it […]
Bitchin Bajas :: Sun City
Like a dream collab between Fripp & Eno circa No Pussyfooting and peak period Alice Coltrane, Bitchin Bajas’ Bitchitronics long player is a stupendous set of spiritual, cosmic bliss. The Coltrane […]