Frank Swart Unleashes Bold New Album Mischief In The Musitorium

Bassist-producer Frank Swart has never been one to play it safe. With a career spanning multiple genres and collaborations with some of the most adventurous musicians of the past few decades, Swart has built a reputation as a fearless sonic architect. Now, he returns with his second alternative jazz full-length, Mischief In The Musitorium—a boundary-smashing record that refuses to be categorized. Released via Need To Know Records and available digitally, the album is a bold testament to improvisation, groove, and pure creative freedom.

A Fearless Cast of Innovators

Part of what makes Mischief In The Musitorium so thrilling is its staggering roster of collaborators. Swart has assembled an all-star lineup including Lenny White (Miles Davis, Return to Forever), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Nduduzo Makhathini, Jason Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Hamid Drake, Guitar Shorty, Adam Holzman, G Calvin Weston (Ornette Coleman), Grant Green Jr., and Joseph Bowie. Each brings their own history of innovation, collectively forging an album that thrives on the unexpected.

A Sound Without Borders

Blending alt-jazz, progressive blues, and cosmic funk, the record feels like an otherworldly jam session where traditions collide and boundaries collapse. Swart describes the album as “Ornette Coleman meets King Crimson in a New Orleans warehouse”—an image that perfectly captures its raw, unboxed energy. From searing guitar lines to deep bass-driven grooves, the record is alive with improvisational fire.

What sets Mischief In The Musitorium apart is its refusal to sit still. Just when you think a groove has locked in, it twists into new territory. Just when you expect resolution, the music dissolves into abstraction. It is both challenging and deeply visceral—an album that demands attention while rewarding repeated listening.

Frank Swart: A Sonic Explorer

While Swart might not be a household name, his fingerprints are all over modern music. A bassist, producer, and engineer, he has worked with a wide spectrum of artists from rock to jazz to experimental music. His work has consistently pushed against the boundaries of genre, favoring collaboration and risk-taking over formulas and comfort zones.

Mischief In The Musitorium feels like a culmination of that journey. By bringing together such a wide-ranging group of musicians, Swart has created not just a record, but a musical ecosystem—one that celebrates improvisation as both an art and an act of rebellion.

Unapologetically Bold

At its core, Mischief In The Musitorium is about freedom: freedom to play, to experiment, to take risks, and to embrace the unexpected. It’s wild, untamed, and unapologetically bold—a sonic manifesto for anyone who believes music should be alive, unpredictable, and limitless.