75 Dollar Bill

75 Dollar Bill is a musical duo formed in New York City in 2012. Its members are Che Chen (guitar), formerly of True Primes, and Rick Brown (drums), formerly of V-Effect and Curlew.[1] Sasha Frere-Jones described their music as displaying "a certain kind of formal fullness and technical freedom," which he said has helped introduce jazz to a new generation.[1] Other critics have noted that their music shows signs of Mauritanian influences, because Chen studied Moorish music in Mauritania with Jheich Ould Chighaly in 2013.[2] Their first full-length album, Wooden Bag, was released in 2015 by Other Music Recording Company.[3] Their second album, Wood/Metal/Plastic/Pattern/Rhythm/Rock, was released in 2016 on the Los Angeles-based label Thin Wrist.[4]

For their 2019 album, I Was Real, they expanded to a larger ensemble of players, which the Guardian described as "adding yet more depth to their placeless, gripping grooves".[5] The Wire named I Was Real the number one album on their year end list for 2019.[6] Since then they have self-released a series of live recordings through Bandcamp, including Power Failures and the Social Music at Troost series.[7]