FUNKY DL – MARAUDING AT MIDNIGHT: A TRIBUTE TO THE SOUNDS OF
A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Funky DL's full on funky homage to A Tribe Called Quest's
uber classic Midnight Maurauders – no samples, no breaks or loops pulled from
the classic album or the samples therein – this is a freshly done, inspired set
of beats, keys, programming and live instrumentation that covers the album track-for-track!
It sounds like an ambitious undertaking – and it is – but what's so
surprisingly cool about it is how laidback and breezy it plays. The Tribe album
is laced with some of the group's best written rhymes, and production steeped
in diverse jazz funk samples from giants like Cal Tjader, Roy Ayers, The JBs
and Lou Donaldson – that's an astounding pedigree to replicate! Rather than aim
as high as that, Funky DL wisely hones in the moody essence at the core, and
succeeds pretty handily with a mostly instrumental effort with wordless backing
vocals used to sublime effect. Same track list as the Tribe classic:
"Midnight Maurauders", "Awaerd Tour", "We Can Get
Down", "Electric Relaxation", "Clap Your Hands",
"God Lives Through", "Lyrics To Go" and the rest. Dusty Groove.
FUNKINJAZZ 2
A run of fresh funky titles from a variety of different acts
– presented here with little in the way of notes or dates, but with a nicely
unified vibe overall! Many of these groups mix live funk instrumentation with a
fair bit of programmed and sampled passages – a bit like that first wave of
funk revival groups from two decades back, but also served up with a lean,
clean sound that also takes the sonic spectrum from late 60s to early 80s funk.
Most tunes are instrumentals, but many include some sampled vocal bit – and
titles include "Don't Deny It" by Green Street, "Funky
Roids" by Krystian Shek, "Get Down" by Crackerjack, "The
Party" by Mister T, "Bubblers" by Q Funktion, "Summer
Joyride" by Singularis, and "The Props" by Sixfingerz. Dusty Groove
CLUTCHY HOPKINS / FAT ALBERT EINSTEIN – HI DESERT LOW TIDE
It's been a few years since we last heard from Clutchy
Hopkins – and in that time, he definitely seems to have deepened his groove –
coming up with a range of sonic textures and styles that nicely expand from the
spare breaks and funk of his previous work! Maybe it's the collaboration with
Fat Albert Einstein, or maybe it's just the passage of years – but whatever the
case, the album's got a nicely deep vibe – spare currents of global elements
and spiritual jazz, used to give a more organic instrumental sound to the whole
thing – in ways that never sound gimmicky or forced. There's a few guests on
the record, providing live tenor, flute, cello, and guitar – and titles include
"Mojave Dervish", "Stutter Steps", "Nyack",
"Juju Beans", "Lock Pop", "Pre Vintage",
"Cholla Ballad", and "The Wash". Dusty Groove
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