***1/2 Innerzone Orchestra

PROGRAMMED

(Astralwerks)

With white trash-hop heroes Eminem and Kid Rock claiming all of Detroit's glory, it's a relief to hear the debut from Innerzone Orchestra, which takes a more reverent attitude toward the great African-American musical traditions of the much-maligned Motor City. It's a surprisingly symbiotic relationship, with Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig providing nasty drum programming and ambient atmospheres and former Sun Ra percussionist Francisco Mora adding loose-limbed polyrhythms while jazz pianist Craig Taborn's post-bop probing brings a heady improvisational vibe to the collaboration. Together they plow through an array of genres -- from deep house and sweet soul to jazz funk and ambient techno -- with an exploratory attitude that isn't afraid to drop the beat for a little skronk-and-skreech noise when it's appropriate. The result travels the spaceways connecting Detroit's past, present, and future, respecting and reinventing the city's musical traditions along the way.

-- Michael Endelman