Praxis (band)

Praxis is the name of an ever-changing Bill Laswell musical project. Praxis combines elements of different musical genres such as funk, jazz, hip-hop and heavy metal into highly improvised music. First appearing in 1992 with the critically acclaimed Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis), Buckethead, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell and Brain have defined the direction of the band over the last 15 years.

Performers

The following musicians have contributed to the various Praxis experiments:

• Buckethead on guitars
• Bootsy Collins on bass and vocals
• Bernie Worrell on keyboards
• Bill Laswell on bass
• Les Claypool on bass, whamola, and vocals
• DJ Disk on turntables
• Af Next Man Flip on turntables
• Invisibl Skratch Piklz on turntables
• DXT on turntables
• Brain on drums
• Cindy Blackman on drums
• Yamatsuka Eye on vocals
• Kathy Brown on vocals
• Toshinori Kondo on trumpet
• Hakim Bey on vocals, and inspiration
• Lili Haydn on violin
• John Zorn on saxophone
• Mick Harris on drums
• Alex Haas on treatments, keyboards, and process
• David Castellan on loops, textures, and compost
• Julian Joyce as "DarkStep Junglist"
• Pat Thrall on guitars
• Anne Pollack on flutes
• Charlotta Jansen on vocals
• Peter Wetherbee on drums, guitars, vocals, synthesis, loops, beats, and noise
• Serj Tankian on vocals
• Iggy Pop on vocals

Musical styles

Between the influence of Laswell and Buckethead, Praxis's musical experimentation in both studio, street and live settings have combined elements of mid-70’s Funkadelic & Miles Davis, hip-hop’s more avant-guarde leanings, and Last Exit's ferocious yet organic jazz/metal aesthetic. Many of these experiments defined (and in some sense, invented) diverse, eclectic, and freeform genres including avant-garde, heavy metal, funk and jazz-fusion.

Discography

• 1992: Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)
• 1992: A Taste of Mutation
• 1994: Sacrifist
• 1994: Metatron
• 1997: Live in Poland
• 1997: Transmutation Live
• 1997: 1984 (EP)
• 1998: Mold
• 1998: Collection
• 1999: Warszawa
• 2005: Zurich
• 2007: Tennessee 2004
• 2008: Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)

References

• AMG article on Praxis
• Bill Laswell and Buckethead fan site

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart