> On Fri, 8 Dec 1995, Tim Arland wrote:
> > influence. That doesn't bother me, and I actually do like it, but it
> > just doesn't grab me the same way the REAL GOOD jazz fusion/acid
> > jazz/groove music does like the Greyboy Allstars...Not without it's hip
> > hop influences....
>
> Interesting case - I have their "West Coast Boogaloo" album and I'm
> trying to differentiate their sound from the sound of, say, 20 or so
> years ago.
>
> It turns out that the funk/jazz/fusion bands of the 70s were just doing
> their kind of music with the instruments and technology available at the
> time. With the Greyboy Allstars, I don't hear so much of a 'hip hop
> influence' per se, but I *do* hear an intended sound - the *choice* use
> of Rhodes electric piano, a Slingerland-ish drum kit, etc. I also notice
> that in the mix, the drums aren't very loud and there's very little use
> of reverb (actually more of a current trend; lots of 90s music is doing
> this). So, I don't notice a real 'hip-hop' influence, but I do notice an
> influence of the production methods of Greyboy, who through his DJing is
> exposed to a lot of 70s-era records.
>
> Elson
Yes, exactly...Perhaps to further examine the music, I guess the hip hop
influences we hear are in DJ Greyboy's mix of the music (much of the
music you hear on his cuts maintain some semblence of the allstars
and/or their style). The allstars in general do not really project any
hip-hop influences... I think I'm just combining what I hear live, which
is primarily how I know the Greyboy Allstars music, and every Wednesday
when DJ Greyboy is there; he often sits in on the mix on a number of
tracks. Not to mention I'm starting to get used to some of the Hip Hop
influences that I've seen in Acid Jazz samplers. Some of it I like
(accept) some I do not.
I have to agree with you as far as the mix on the West Coast Boogaloo
CD. The same applies for the D for Diesel CD by Karl Denson (still
basically the Allstars). The drums are not mixed in as well as they could
or should be. Especially if you ever get the chance to witness Zak at
work, he is a fantastic (and that's putting it very lightly in my book)
drummer. I often stop and watch in awe when he gets a few particular
rhythms movin' and groovin'. Extremely energetic, and really gives life
to the music.
Tim (tca@cerfnet.com)
http://www.greyboy.com