"Where the craft of songwriting converges with the raw energy of improvisation—this is indie jazz, redefined." Jim Black & The Schrimps is the latest project from the visionary drummer and composer Jim Black, continuing his over two-decade journey of crafting deeply melodic compositions for improvisers. Since his influential AlasNoAxis debut, Black has pioneered a unique approach to modern jazz, blending the emotive quality of singer/songwriter music with the spontaneous freedom of avant-garde jazz, forging a sound that is both intensely personal and experimentally bold. In The Schrimps, he’s joined by three of Europe’s most exciting rising stars: Asger Nissen (alto sax), Julius Gawlik (tenor sax), and Felix Henkelhausen (acoustic bass). Together, they craft music that’s both raw and song-driven, merging plaintive melodies with kinetic, unpredictable improvisation. Black’s compositions, which are influenced by the harmonic depth of Elliott Smith and the tunefulness of The Beatles, bring together the heart of a singer-songwriter with the soul of a jazz innovator. Their latest album, Better You Don’t (Intakt Records), perfectly captures this union of songcraft and improvisation. This album refines their identity: a band that embraces melodic structure while navigating the edge of harmonic and rhythmic exploration, with risk, groove, dissonance, and beauty in equal measure. Their music evolves in real-time, where every performance is a new discovery, always pushing into unknown territory.