Last week the Chicago Underground Duo released their fifth album Boca Negra and completely blew me away. Like many of you I went through a jazz and swing period in my listening history, I dug through the old crates and even found some modern classics, but I thought those days were behind me. However, Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor have brought me back in time. The album, their first not recorded in Chicago, was recorded in Sao Paulo, Brazil at Rocha Studios. It has some Brazilian elements, but at its core is pure jazz. Well, more than jazz it is the art of creating jazz that makes this album so special, and after twelve years still a vibrant contribution to their catalog.

Chicago Underground Duo will be performing at Chicago Cultural Center on Feb. 3rd and at The Hideout on Feb. 20th.