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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. The list goes on. What's up with this record being on import. Gift of Gab from Blackalicious gets a special mention for his rhyme on the Jacky Terrasson track Mixed Feelings, produced by The Angel. Pick this up before it disappears completely. You can't get it domestically anymore. That would be a crying shame.
Great. I'm a 48 year old guy who has pretty much let hip-hop pass me by.which was just fine with me. 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.
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. "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. The original jazz tracks were taken and then mixed and with samples added by hip-hop DJs, are transformed into good head-bobbing compiliation. 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.
Hip-hop fans who think the "bling bling" is where it's at should take a history lesson. This is not an album for dance-aholics. Jazz hipsters and hip-hop old schoolers stand up and pay attention. Ready. 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. The CD is based upon many famous jazz songs and has an impressive line up of album credits.
Rave kids need not apply either. Class is in session. Looking at the track listing any jazz fan will recognize the names as staples in the Jazz world. "Move Your Hand" [#8] has Caribbean-rooted hip-hop lyrics while giving tribute to Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay".
I'm still waiting for the follow-up. I didn't know what acid jazz was until I listened to this CD. It proves that rap song producers are the best remixers in the music business.
It really shows you that this "acid jazz" thing is really nothing new. In fact I think they were able to enhance many of the tracks on this album thereby exposing a new generation of listners to the works of these great trend setting original artists. It started long before many of the purchasers of this CD were born. This CD sets a standard for Acid Jazz Producers. It blends elements of hip/hop, rap and dance without destroying the original works.
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