A Long Rambling on Various Topics

William Jon Curtis (71333.1707@compuserve.com)
27 Feb 96 22:14:08 EST


Greetings all-

I'm pretty amused by how we constantly are trying to decide what this list is
about, what 'acid jazz' is all about, what belongs, what doesn't... to me this
is the sign of a genre in flux, or a genre without a real definition. To make
things even more confusing, I would bet most folks on this list wouldn't even
use the term 'acid jazz' to describe the music they listened to if they didn't
have to. No definition, no sound, no identity. A lost genre...

But here's my take on this, and excuse me if you've heard this before: the music
I (and probably you) have always been into was a blurring of genres. You see, I
love all sorts of different styles of music... I eagerly await the DJ Shadow
album and flipped out the first time I heard Portishead, but I'm now flipping
out over the new Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan record. I consider My Bloody Valentine
one of the greatest 'rock groups' ever and Al Green one of the best singers. I
get all teary eyed when I hear punk funkers the Minutemen, or John Coltrane. I
went through a heavy Throbbing Gristle/experimental industrial phase just as I
went through a heavy 'gotta have everything on Mo Wax!' phase. And right now I'm
listening to Mystic Moods new 'Amazon' single for some serious drum n bass fix.

My point being- I (and probably you) enjoy all sorts of music, with no genre
boundaries standing in the way. When I first fixated on 'acid jazz' (or those
early hip hop dub mixes) it was because it combined many genres together in one
pie, creating a blurring effect. And the blurring was beyond just mere genres-
the organic also melded with the electronic, and what was once sterile and stale
became the most fascinating of soul music.

To me, to set boundaries on what is 'acid jazz' (which I translated to 'music
which blurs genres and technique') is ridiculous. I know this is no one's intent
here, but I guess I should state it. We shouldn't have to argue over what
'should be' included just as we shouldn't have to argue over the 'origins' of
this and that. Instead, we can discuss how it is incredible that the taste we
share can include Everything But The Girl and Photek.

As far as the 'jungle' thing goes, it's definitely a worthy topic if for no
other reason but that it brought Craig Willingham out of lurker mode. I can
understand Kevin's point... there has been an overwhelming amount of discussion
on the drum n bass stuff in the past month. But- and it's okay if you disagree
with this- the most exciting, innovative, FORWARD moving music of the past few
months has been drum n bass. All of the 'acid jazz' things I hear as of late are
seemingly rehashing old norms. Drum n bass is still evolving and changing, which
makes it exciting for those of us watching its progress. You may not be into it,
which is fine. I was not into it a year ago at all. But now that I've started
following it I can't stop. I mean EVERY WEEK a new release comes out that is
doing something that hasn't been done before in this style! That's crazy and
addictive to those of us who have been captured in its spell. So- if you're not
into it, just try to understand our excitement and be content to know that
eventually this music will repeat itself like everything else. Then a new crazy
genre will pop up to take its place and annoy us all again.

But- check out that State Logik "Live In Session" track on Renegade... it has
some flaws (like the bass is off pitch... what's up with that?) but isn't this
the jazziest thing to come out of dance music in a while? And it's drum n bass!
It sounds totally live to me... the drums sound live (and might be- I can't tell
for sure), the saxophone, even the off pitch bass. But it's a tight and a
credible drum n bass tune. Proof that this stuff can exist in the sacred realm
of JAZZ.

Here are some non-drum n bass things you should be on the lookout for: New
Compost releases by BEANFIELD (yikes: trip hoppy! But really good), FAUNA FLASH
(downtempo excellence), and the FUTURE SOUND OF JAZZ 2 collection (which goes
all over the place: Aphex Twin and Nightmares on Wax original 'Nightmares Theme'
are included). These will be out soon. Also out soon is the New Breed debut 12"
by NUTSEK. If you thought the Prunes had the darkest grooves, wait'll you check
this. Also features an old school breakdance/battle style cut for getting those
retro jollies. A new single on Big Life by Ramshackle has a fantastic slow dub
mix by Mekon.. look for that. I normally don't like what Mekon does, but this
mix is just damn trippy. The winner in this weeks new stuff though goes to Luke
Vibert. Add this to the discography you may be formulating: there is a Wagon
Christ remix of a song called "Blastjarnan" by a Swedish act named Naid. If the
songwriting credits are to be trusted, this is a traditional Swedish song.
There's a folkish female vocal (in Swedish, right) and strange ambience about...
and then Mr. Vibert kicks in one of his most seductive and surprisingly organic
grooves. If this is where Wagon Christ is headed, the next album will be a
monster.

Now I haven't seen many DJ charts being posted on this list... but I just sent
mine off and have it here so I'll follow my sig with it. Keep in mind that all
the music I list I consider ultimately funky. We on this list are definitely one
nation under a groove. PEACE!

Michael Donaldson
Q-BURN'S ABSTRACT MESSAGE

Q-BURN'S ABSTRACT MESSAGE
"The Abstract Twenty" as of February 25th, 1996

1. JACOB'S OPTICAL STAIRWAY - Full LP (R+S Records)
2. BEANFIELD - Believe It Or Not (Compost Records)
3. PIMP DADDY NASH - 2000 Zero Zero (Mephisto Records DAT)
4. ATNARKO BEAR - Tunnelvision (Atnarko Records)
5. DJ BMF - Bringing Mad Flavor EP (New Breed DAT)
6. INTENSE - The Sax Lick (Way Out Records)
7. NUYORICAN SOUL - Mind Fluid (Nervous)
8. CABBAGE BOY - Bean (To This World) (N-Tone)
9. SYMBIOSIS - Sensory (Sunburst)
10. CYCLE 60 - Kaliedoscope (Binary)
11. ELEXIR VITAE - Straight On (Casseopaya)
12. CONGA SQUAD - Radical (Conga Squad)
13. FLUID - The Man With 3 Heads (No Bones)
14. COURTNEY PINE - I've Known Rivers (Talkin Loud)
15. PHOTEK - song with 'Astral Travelling'sample (Promo)
16. FAUNA FLASH - Find The Unshrinkables (Compost)
17. SUBHUMAN RACE - Untitled test (Black Magic)
18. ARCHITEX - Blueprint (DJ Pulse Mix) (Basement)
19. 16BP - Nowhere EP (Stronghouse)
20. NAID - Blastjarnan (Wagon Christ Mix) (Beverage)

Contact:
Michael Donaldson
P.O. Box 1909
Orlando FL 32802 USA
PH: (407) 420-4669
FX: (407) 246-0580
EMAIL: 71333.1707@compuserve.com