Universal Congress Of

Universal Congress Of are an American jazz ensemble from Los Angeles, formed in 1986.The project was started by Joe Baiza and continued to develop his own fusion of free jazz and punk rock after his previous band, Saccharine Trust, went on hiatus.Congress' approach to free jazz has earned them comparisons to Ornette Coleman, while the group themselves have pointed to Albert Ayler as a primary source of inspiration. In an issue of Mountain Bike, bassist Tim Commerford of Rage Against the Machine spoke of his admiration of the band's funky and jazz tinged style.