Groove Obscura presents: Pitch Black Album Listening

Announcing the August 2026 album for @groove___obscura's pitch black album listening series: Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Nice Guys The pitch black listening session will take place on Tuesday, August 18th at the @silenceplease Listening Space in downtown Manhattan. Doors at 7:30. Album at 8:30 pm. No entry after 8:45. Free. Please RSVP on RA. Walk-ins welcome before 8:45. ~~~~ About the album: The Art Ensemble of Chicago's NICE GUYS album inspired the title of my new book of music photographs "They're So Nice..." published this summer by Corbett Vs. Dempsey. The LP opened a series of landmark recordings for the ECM label featuring the legendary band in stunning form. Free bop, long form improvisation, swinging jazz grooves, calypso, and more are all here, illustrating what the band called "Great Black Music: Ancient to The Future." The crystalline recording captures the band's grace, humor, power and signature group sound. I initially purchased the disc cold after seeing the brilliantly designed cover in a record shop in 1980. After listening, my experience of music and life decisively changed. - Russell Lee Fine ~~~~ Founded by Arjun Shah, Groove Obscura is an experiential platform dedicated to uncovering and contextualizing music from around the world. Groove Obscura takes physical form at the Silence Please Listening Space through communal album listening. Each session explores original pressings of music from around the world, played front to back on a high-fidelity system, preceded by historical and musical context to set the stage for a deep, undisturbed listen. Sessions are often held in pitch black for pure sonic immersion.