This June, Brooklyn-based composer-bandleader Darcy James Argue and his critically acclaimed 18-piece big band Secret Society will return to the studio to record the highly anticipated follow-up to their groundbreaking GRAMMY nominated debut, Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam Records). 

Today, Argue launches a new Kickstarter campaign to help fund the ambitious three-day recording session, which will document the complete original score from Brooklyn Babylon, the group's innovative multimedia collaboration with graphic artist Daniel Zezelj.

Here are links to several exciting previews of Brooklyn Babylon:

New York Times (Ben Ratliff): Animation Joins Jazz At the Next Wave Festival

Salon (Martin Johnson): Could jazz provide the Occupy Wall Street Soundtrack?

Time Out New York (Steve Smith): Live preview: Brooklyn Babylon — Composer Darcy James Argue brings a graphic-novel urban vista to life

Brooklyn Eagle: Live Painting a ‘Brooklyn Babylon,’ Scored By a Big Jazz Band

Also, we are thrilled that Brooklyn Brewery has chosen the Nov. 9 world premiere of Brooklyn Babylon to roll out its new limited-edition BAMBoozle Ale:

BROOKLYN BAMBOOZLE & BABLYON LAUNCH @ BAM, NOV 9

From Wednesday, November 9th through Saturday, November 12th, the Next Wave Festival will present composer/bandleader Darcy James Argue and graphic artist Danijel Zezelj's multimedia collaboration Brooklyn Babylon at the historic BAM Harvey Theater.

This innovative combination of music, animation and painting is produced by Beth Morrison Projects and supported by a grant from The MAP Fund, a program of Creative Capital supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The project was commissioned for the Next Wave Festival by the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Brooklyn Babylon is an hour-long narrative journey through a dystopian Brooklyn of the future where a carousel is being built atop the world's highest tower. Argue's Grammy-nominated big band Secret Society provides the original soundtrack to this dusky urban fable, as told by eight chapters of projected animation by Zezelj, who also paints in real time.

"Danijel's visual language is so strong," Argue explains, "his imagery all but steps up off the page and smacks you upside the head with a crowbar. When I first encountered his graphic novels, I was instantly blown away by the gritty, tactile feel of his work, but also his tremendous gift for storytelling, which is a quality I strive for in my music. Working so closely with Danijel on Brooklyn Babylon has been unbelievably exciting and inspiring—and I think the result will be an extraordinary coalescence of visual and musical narrative.”

Secret Society debuted the opening piece "Chapter One: The Neighborhood" on its June tour of major Canadian jazz festivals in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, inspiring many reviewers to call it the highlight of its set.

A more detailed sneak peek, including production sketches, animation stills, music samples and a two-minute trailer, is available right here at http://brooklynbabylon.com, with more updates to come as we draw nearer to the premiere. You can also follow the production on Facebook and Twitter, or via RSS.

Season tickets for the 29th Next Wave Festival are for sale online or by phone at (718) 636-4100. Single event tickets go on sale to Friends of BAM on August 29th and to the general public on September 6th.

On Saturday, October 22nd at 8:00 p.m., Argue and Zezelj will present a special preview concert at Purchase College's PepsiCo Theatre in Purchase, New York. Tickets are available through the ticket office Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6:00 p.m. at (914) 251-6200.