This is the greatest band I've ever heard in my life. I first heard them when I was living in New York working in a club called The Dive in 1981. I wrote home to my friends working at our college radio station, WUOG in Athens, Ga., about this incredible house band called the Microscopic Septet. These guys blew me away! I wrote: it's like Duke Ellington, meets the Art Ensemble of Chicago, the World Saxophone Quartet, and Spike Jones. Whenever one of the band's four sax players was out, a former band member, who I thought was one of the greatest sax players of all time, sat in. John Zorn was like a bubbly sprite who spilled joy everywhere and added sounds reminiscent of Ornette Coleman and Anthony Braxton.
To this day, when I listen to the Micros I dance and laugh. Watch the video below, and see if you don't do the same. I know it's not the best picture quality, but listen to the music and let me know your thoughts. If you know of another band whose greatness comes close to the Micros, please contact me. Because no matter how well-known or unknown they are, I'd love to hear them. See them below playing "Lobster in the Limelight." You can see the full-size screen of it on YouTube.