MADLIB - SHADES OF BLUE
Madlib
invades Blue Note! He gets free reign of the catalog for this mix of sampler
genius and live band interpretations, too, as/with Ahmad Miller, Yesterdays New
Quintet, Malcolm Catto, Medaphoar, and others from the Stones Throw camp. This
one's truly a conceptual triumph, if there ever was such a thing – one of the
greatest hip hop producers alive, given carte blanche with the source beats of
the century! Madlib's Blue Note crates are heavily weighed in the mid 60s
through mid 70s electric beats that often get the shaft in mainstream jazz
round-ups, but floor the beathead world into overdrive. Re-interpretations,
remixes, and revisions are spliced seamlessly with the source samples, creating
a whole new world where hip hop and late model live funk not only co-exists
with classic Blue Note jazz, but it actually draws a linear transition between
the 2 genius art forms. Beautiful stuff – if the album isn't the most original
idea to come along all of these years into the hip hop & jazz underground,
it's certainly one of the most perfectly realized projects of its kind, ever!
It's one for the time capsule – easily one of Madlib's masterpieces, and pure
funky sample wizardry by any standard! Includes Monk Higgins' "Slim's
Return" interpreted by Ahmad Miller and DJ Lord Such on cuts, "Donald
Byrd's "Distant Land", "Ronnie Foster's "Mystic
Bounce", Yesterday's New Quintet's adaptation of Wayne Shorter's
"Footprints", Madlib Invazion's "Funky Blue Note", the Joe
McDuphrey Experience take on Horace Silver's/Herbie Hancock's
"Peace/Dolphin Dance" and lots more. LP, Vinyl. ~ Dusty Groove
WEATHER REPORT - LIVE IN TOKYO
This is
a specially imported limited edition 20-bit digital remaster from Japan. While
side two of I Sing the Body Electric gives us heavily edited glimpses of
Weather Report as heard live in Tokyo, this two-disc Japanese import contains
entire group ensembles from that concert -- and as such, it is a revelation.
Now we can follow the wild, stream-of-consciousness evolution of early Weather
Report workouts, taking the listener into all kinds of stylistic territory --
from Joe Zawinul's lone acoustic piano to dissonant free form and electronic
explosions -- with lots of adjustments of tempo and texture. The pulse of jazz
is more evident in their work here than on their American albums, and the
example of Miles Davis circa the Fillmore concerts directs the fierce
interplay. In his subsequent recordings with Weather Report, and as a leader,
Wayne Shorter would rarely equal the manic intensity he displayed in Tokyo. All
of the music is encapsulated in five lengthy "medleys" of WR's repertoire,
three of which contain elongated versions of themes from the group's
eponymously titled debut album from 1971. This would be the radical apogee of
Weather Report on records, though they could retain this level of fire in
concert for years to come. ~ Richard S. Ginell
MELBA MOORE - READ MY LIPS
The most
versatile and underrated item in Moore's often overlooked catalog, Read My Lips
runs the gamut from funky R&B radio numbers to quietly passionate ballads
to rock-stenciled up-tempo fare. Moore packs a tight-lipped, defiant punch on
kinetic affairs such as "Mind Over Matter" and "Winner."
Meanwhile, she's pure and sultry on the slow burn of "To Those Who
Wait" and the emotional intensity of "I Can't Believe It (It's Over)."
Having plenty of able assistance on hand doesn't hurt her case, either:
producers Keith Diamond and Paul Laurence bring a meld of jazz, funk, pop, and
soul influences to the fold, and intertwine them with remarkable consistency.
This resourceful approach results in material that far surpasses earlier hits
like "Love's Comin' at Ya" and "Keepin' My Lover
Satisfied"; and it also turns out a surprising remake of Fleetwood Mac's
"Dreams." With arrangements that are always on the dot, solid songs,
and stellar vocals, Read My Lips is a must for every Moore fan's collection. ~
Justin M. Kantor
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