I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t ready for ‘low rock’ band Morphine to end when it suddenly did in 1999.

Similar to TV on the Radio, the bass-drums-sax trio had a knack for creating low down, minimalist pop gems while avoiding sounding gimmicky with the odd instrumentation.

Morphine’s frontman Mark Sandman died of a heart attack at age 46 while performing at a festival in Italy.

After playing in Twinemen with drummer and fellow Morphine mate Billy Conway (and Laurie Sargant), saxophonist Dana Colley is is currently touring with another trio.

The Boston-based band is called A.K.A.C.O.D. (“also known as Colley/Ortiz/Dersch”) and they will hit the Bluebird stage this Monday night. It will be a great opportunity to see Colley teaming up with another intense vocalist, sultry Monique Ortiz. Like Sandman, Ortiz also plays bass. This week they are releasing their debut CD, “Happiness.”

I spoke with Colley as he prepared for the tour, which kicks off in NYC. He pronounced the band’s name by spelling out the initials, in case you were wondering.

***

RC: Have you always played sax?

DC: As a youngen’, I played clarinet like a lot of kids do. I loved listening to Duke Ellington and was fascinated with mood indigo and the whole jazz world. Growing up in 70s most kids wanted to play guitar and sax seemed like a strange instrument. If you played sax in a rock band, you were lucky to get a solo and then you had to play tambourine the rest of night. When I met Mark and formed the trio, I started doing it in another way. I play an electric baritone sax and get various different effects and tonalities. It’s been an evolution and an interesting journey to be able to pursue sax in rock. Horn players have always tried to find their place much like vocalists. Trios, sax and organ trios especially, are so much fun because you can stretch your legs a little.

RC: How did the band form?

DC: I started working with Monique and her sensibilities were right alongside my own. She developed her own style of songwriting and we combined both of our ascetics. She is a hard worker and diligent songwriter. She does an amazing job of bringing her own sound. We all have our strengths and we try to play into those.

RC: Have any film or TV people asked about your work like they did Morphine?

DC: That all remains to be seen. No one has made offer as of now. Any musician would love to collaborate — car, beer … we’ll do anything! If Robert Plant can do it, anyone can right? You have to get your music out there any way you can. For now, all we can do is play in your town and hopefully buy a CD and we can take your $10 and fill our tank with gas and go to the next town.

RC: Do you still ever play two saxes at once?

DC: I have been threatening that I might pull that out for this tour. I hope to use effects live also if all the equipment is working, knock on wood.

***

A.K.A.C.O.D. with The Aviation Club and Bill Boll

Bluebird, 2706 Olive Street, $7

Dana Colley: Baritone and tenor saxophones, piano, drums.

Monique Ortiz: Vocals, fretless bass, 2-string slide bass.

Larry Dersch (St. Louis native): Drums and percussion

http://www.myspace.com/akacod