|
I had wanted a version of Horace Silver's Sophisticated Hippie ever since I heard it on his now out of print Silver and Brass album. When I heard this fun and funky version, I just had to have it.
Pick this up before it disappears completely. Check the remixing of Donald Byrd's Kofi by The Angel, Guru's work on Eddie Harris's Listen Here and Michael Franti on Lonnie Smith. That would be a crying shame. The list goes on. What's up with this record being on import. You can't get it domestically anymore. Gift of Gab from Blackalicious gets a special mention for his rhyme on the Jacky Terrasson track Mixed Feelings, produced by The Angel.
But after hearing this Blue Note ReMix.wow.if your not jumping and moving to this music remixed from all time great jazz to hip-hop and acid jazz, you need new battiers for your hearing aid. I'm a 48 year old guy who has pretty much let hip-hop pass me by.which was just fine with me. Great.
Class is in session. Ready. This is not an album for dance-aholics. The CD is based upon many famous jazz songs and has an impressive line up of album credits. "Montara" [#10]provides some sultry and soulful female vocals to go along jazztastic xylophone work; it almost makes you forget about the head-bobbing bass that persists in the track. This album draws clear lines as to where hip-hop and jazz have in common; where one takes from the other and where the other is partly-based on the composition and history of it's counterpart.
Hip-hop fans who think the "bling bling" is where it's at should take a history lesson. The original jazz tracks were taken and then mixed and with samples added by hip-hop DJs, are transformed into good head-bobbing compiliation. "Move Your Hand" [#8] has Caribbean-rooted hip-hop lyrics while giving tribute to Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". Rave kids need not apply either. Looking at the track listing any jazz fan will recognize the names as staples in the Jazz world. Hip Hop fans and Acid Jazz historians take note: The Blue Note Remix Project is a classic album released prior to the tidal wave of many 'Various Artist' acid jazz CDs and is definitely an album to be noted as an originator.
Special notation should be given to the smooth female vocals on "Kofi" [#1], the hip-hop treatment of the muted horn on "Listen Here" [#4], the paris-esque vibe of "Friends & Strangers" [#5], and the Ernest Ranglin-like slide-guitar-vibing and electronic organ keyboard on "Summer Song" [#7] which emits the best overall vibe of the entire album; no need for lyrics on this song.it's old school jazz-cool. Jazz hipsters and hip-hop old schoolers stand up and pay attention.
It proves that rap song producers are the best remixers in the music business. I didn't know what acid jazz was until I listened to this CD. I'm still waiting for the follow-up.
|
