Anfang Dezember erscheint ein neues Album der 1990 von Elliott Sharp gegründeten Improv- und Jazzrock-Combo Bootstrappers – diesmal mit Sharp selbst an diversen Gitarren und Elektronik sowie dem Bassisten Melvin Gibbs und dem Drummer Don McKenzie. “The music reflects the classic rock trio filtered through the ethos of cyberpunk, techno, and free jazz: raging, psychedelic, and filled with fantastic extrapolations”, heißt es bei Klanggalerie, die das Album auf CD herausbringen, ferner “One may hear strains of Jimi Hendrix’ Band Of Gypsies, Bela Bartok string quartets, and Ornette Coleman’s harmolodics”.

“The history of Bootstrappers begins in 1990, with Sharp, then signed to the California label SST (started by Black Flag’s Greg Ginn) calling on the Minutemen/Firehose rhythm section of bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley to play some concerts and record an album mixing studio and live tracks. The gigs and sessions were exhilarating and the results were released as the eponymous album Bootstrappers on the New Alliance imprint from SST. The group played a number of concerts in California (including opening for Joe Satriani!) as well as the Rotterdam Jazz Festival. The next edition of Bootstrappers was manifest in 1994 for the Dossier label in Berlin with the rhythm section of Jan and Thom Kotik on drums and bass. In later versions from then to now, Sharp has called upon various friends and colleagues to take part in bootstrapping. This roster has included Tony Lewis, Anton Fier, Dave Hofstra, Brent MacLachlan, Russ Flynn, Sim Cain, and Andrew Weiss.” (Klanggalerie)