Charlie Tate is a man with a funk pedigree, including stints in Big Cheese Allstars and his King Kooba project. “The Tribute” invokes his past and present influences, with MC Capitol A dip-diving over chopped big-band jazz beats. If that‘s not enough, DJ Zeph hauls out a mean Brazilian-dub remix-organ stabs, conga rolls and classic breaks galore. UK guest Hylton Smith (Roots Manuva) rocks “Thripney Bits” and J-Boogie‘s Afrobeat breakers mix pushes the genre boundaries out there.
David Murray Gwotet Osunlade Mixes
Already a staple in the sets of Louie Vega and Ron Trent, Osunlade scores a major hit with his superb remix of NY free-jazz legend David Murray. The veteran saxophone master-whose catalog includes dozens of albums on Black Saint, HatArt, and other labels-gets a reverent Afrohouse treatment. Both the Osunlade Yoruba Soul house mix and Alex Zul’s Lagos Nigeria rub highlight a master in his prime with chant vocals, Murray’s sax artistry and the remixers’ programming talents in perfect harmony. An immensely important single.
Asem Shama Legalize It
Shama explores hypnotic minimal techno with more than a big inhale of the sticky green stuff for inspiration on the lead track “Schacht.” Zigzagging synth chords, compressed mice-chatter drum beats and an eventually climaxing wave of bass are strong enough to leave you with the munchies. DJ Emerson‘s remix of “Legalize It,” however, clears the haze immediately with upfront drums and windshield-wiper hi-hats.
Mudd & Chico Hamilton Kerry‘s Caravan
Paul “Mudd” Murphy (also of Aquaaba) hooks up with legendary jazz drummer Chico Hamilton for a brilliant slice of funk-fusion. Strictly on the downtempo tip, “Kerry’s Caravan” will remind of vintage Isaac Hayes or Cymande, with lush strings and an excellent soprano saxophone solo. Ray Mang contributes two different remixes to boot.
Immediate Action 009 Immediate Action 009
This essential multi-artist release on Hefty explores intricate digital jazz in the vein of German labels ~scape and Nonplace. Victor Bermon’s cool trio of space jazz meditations (“Yo, Girl,” “Interlude,” and “Afternoon”) is joined by a b-side’s worth of tracks from Retina.IT and Samadha. The former delivers warm, clicky IDM suitable for adventurous dance spaces; the latter is fuzzy folk suitable for midday couch naps.
Baseheadz Baseheadz!
Blink and you’ll miss this debut future jazz sleeper. Mental Recordings’ first offering is a confident affair from Satiesh Mathoera (Baseheadz), which plumbs the plethora f sounds heard on labels like Switzerland’s Straight Ahead or the UK’s Bitasweet. Sheer variety-from broken beat numbers like “Firewire” to sedate cool jazz tracks like “The Scratch Mechanic”–will satiate casual listeners and DJs equally.
JT the Bigga Figga Who Grind Like Us?
A San Francisco staple and owner of Get Low Records, JT the Bigga Figga is a rapper and a certified hustler. After The Game blew up early this year, the ace businessman cashed in and released a series of tracks the West Coast rookie recorded years ago in his own studio. On Who Grind Like Us?, his latest self-released album, JT raps like he runs his company-independently, but with an ear to the street. Full of astute wordplay and gritty, banging production, this album should be blasting out of car speakers in the Bay and beyond.
P-Love All Up In Your Mind
Turntablist P-Love (Paolo Kapunan), a Montreal native who‘s toured with Kid Koala, sets aside his quick draw on the decks on his debut full-length. Mixing elements of post-rock and downtempo, his production work takes center stage while the record needle barely draws blood. Warm, ethereal electronica washes over All Up In Your Mind-think Boards of Canada without the high-grade mushrooms. Somehow, P-Love has worked with the Ninja Tune Crew and lived cross-town from Kid Koala for years without falling into the exact same trip-hop trap.
LMNO P‘s & Q‘s
In this case, you can judge the rapper by the cover. LMNO, an acronym for Leave My Name Out, is the handle of LA rapper James Kelly, a member of the Visionaries crew. The name is precious, clever and tries a little to hard, much like the rapper does on his third solo album. Kelly has no problem with formulating deep thoughts on life and politics and spinning them into lyrics; he does it with aplomb. It‘s his occasionally chunky and dry delivery that spoils things. Even the solid production barely makes this album okay.
Various Artist Chromeo: Un Joli Mix Pour Toi
Proponents of anti-snob Jheri curl funk, NYC-by-way-of-Montreal duo Chromeo has partnered with Belgian label Eskimo Records (run by the equally anti-prankster Glimmers) to deliver Un Joli Mix Pour Toi, celebrating the rough-around-the-edges but interiorly hypersensitive electro-boogie fan in all of us. Vintage Solid Gold funk and diffused disco meets springy lover‘s lockin‘ and rockin‘ from Jellybean, Robert Palmer, Herbie Hancock, Modern Romance, The Jets, Sharon Redd, and Warp 9, all glistening for androids ready to bump nasties. If slick, get-down grooves are your thing you can jam on it to the unwavering huddle ‘n‘ hustle of this ‘80s prom-ready mix.
