Darcy James Argue's Secret Society's BROOKLYN BABYLON Out Today

Brooklyn-based composer-bandleader Darcy James Argue and his innovative 18-piece big band Secret Society today release their highly anticipated sophomore album Brooklyn Babylon on New Amsterdam Records. The ensemble will celebrate the release with performances in Boston, Washington DC, and Holland; Argue will also join the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra on their 10th Anniversary tour throughout Australia as well as the Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos in Portugal. (All tour dates below.)

Brooklyn Babylon was conceived in collaboration with Croatian-born visual artist Danijel Zezelj, whose narrative inspired Argue's mash-up of musical styles: progressive jazz, early-American popular styles, Balkan folk musics, and the sounds of Brooklyn's diverse contemporary music scene (including LCD Soundsystem, Dirty Projectors and more).

Zezelj's artwork places the action in a larger-than-life, mythic Brooklyn, where past, present, and future coexist. Plans are afoot to construct an immense tower - the tallest in the world - right in the heart of the city. Lev Bezdomni, a master carpenter, finds himself torn between his personal ambition and his allegiance to the community when he is commissioned to build the carousel that will crown it.

The album was featured as part of NPR's First Listen series last week, and has also received praise from The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, WNYC and more.

A forthcoming limited-edition hardcover graphic novel by Zezelj, entitled Babilon, will be available in conjunction with the release.

Brooklyn Babylon purchase links: Available via Amazon HERE. Available via Bandcamp HERE. Available via eMusic HERE. Available via iTunes HERE.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society live:

May 03 Regattabar - Boston, MA (LINK)

May 18 ATLAS - Washington, DC (LINK)

June 24 Holland Festival - Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ - Amsterdam, NL *full Brooklyn Babylonmultimedia performance* (LINK)

Darcy James Argue with Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra live in Australia (LINK):

May 25 Casula Powerhouse - Liverpool, NSW
May 26 Illawarra Performing Arts Centre - Wollongong, NSW
May 27 Kenneth Myers Centre - Auckland, NZ
May 28 Auckland Jazz and Blues Club - Pt Chevalier RSA, NZ
May 30 Welington Town Hall, Ilott Theatre, Wellington NZ
June 2 Tasmanian Conservatorium - Hobart, SA
June 3 The Promethean - Adelaide, SA
June 6 Melbourne International Jazz Festival - Melbourne, VIC *with Maria Schneider*
June 7 The Tank Arts Centre - Cairns, QLD
June 8 Caloundra Arts Festival - Caloundra, QLD
June 9 The Studio at the Sydney Opera House - Sydney, NSW

Darcy James Argue with Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos live:

July 21 Jazz Composers Forum Concert - Cine-Teatro Constantino Nery - Matosinhos, Portugal (feat. world premiere) (LINK)

Vancouver native Darcy James Argue is one of today's most talked-about jazz musicians thanks to the phenomenal critical response to Infernal Machines, his Grammy-nominated debut recording featuring his 18-piece bigband, Secret Society. The record was included on more than 100 best-of-the year lists and won Best Debut honors in the prestigious Village Voice Jazz Critics Poll. Argue and Secret Society have topped the Rising Star category in the DownBeat Critics Poll for the past three years, and have won Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards for Large Ensemble of the Year and Up & Coming Artist of the Year. The group has played high-profile concerts in New York and other North American cities, as well as in Europe.

Darcy James Argue's New Amsterdam Artist Page: http://www.newamsterdampresents.com/?page_id=2634
Brookyn Babylon New Amsterdam Page: http://www.newamsterdamrecords.com/?portfolio=brooklyn-babylon
Secret Society website: http://www.secretsocietymusic.org
Brooklyn Babylon website: http://brooklynbabylon.com
Danijel Zezelj's website: http://www.dzezelj.com