VA - Trippin': The Groove Merchant Compilation
Ernest Ranglin - Below The Bassline
Toledo - Fishnets & Cigarettes
Medeski, Martin & Wood - SHack-man
VA - Bossa Beach: Latin Jazz Dance Island
Robert Walter (with Gary Bartz) - Spirit of '70
---Trippin' - Well, just to make it super authentic, picked this one up at the source, Groove Merchant, over on Haight Street. This comp is guaranteed not to disappoint... every track will keep your booty shakin'. I picked up the CD issue, and would definitely recommend that option, as the 2 CD only bonus tracks may very well be the best ones on the comp. The first CD only track, Esquires Now cover of James Brown's 'Think' was worth the purchase price alone. In general, the whole comp falls at the very funky end of the jazz-funk spectrum... acquire.
Below the Bassline - Ranglin's release, along with an album by Monty Alexander, launch Island's new Island Jazz Jamaica label. The line-up on Ranglin's album includes Monty on piano, Ira Coleman on bass and Idris Muhammad putting in some _solid_ work on the drums. This album is a very laid back mix of reggae and jazz, and damn does the mix work weel here. Favourites include the tracks 'Surfin'' and 'None Shall Escape The Judgement'.
Fishnets & Cigarettes - I hadn't heard of Toledo before seeing him open for the Groove Collective, but the show was enough to make me buy the CD on the spot. Remarkabye, the album sounds very similiar to the live show, which unforunately isn't the case with many other bands. The sound is hard to describe - mainly straight jazz backing band under the raspy, smokey vocals of Toledo. Totally diggin' the track 'Pistol of a Cuban Girl'. This album isn't for everyone, but give it a listen and you just might get hooked.
Shack-man - MM&W's latest features a great set of tunes developped in the course of their extensive touring, this album is probably the funkiest in the the MM&W catalog, but in terms of the music discussed on this list, might still seem pretty mellow. However, if you're looking for one of the most talented trios performing today, then this hammond/bass/drum combo is a good place to start looking. Great improv from all three makes for one of my favourite recent album purchases.
Bossa Beach - My first acquisition from the Irma label, and if this is any indication of their general quality, then it's definitely not the last. 15 slammin' latin jazz numbers from the likes of Bossa Nostra, Paolo Achenza Trio, Friends From Rio and many others. Not a bum track on the comp and at 71 minutes, you defintely get your CD's worth. A must for latin jazz fans...
Spirit of '70 - This album features the talents of the Greyboy Allstars plus Gary Bartz... need I say more? As the title suggests, it's a late 60's early 70's jazz-funk experience, complete with retro cover design. SOunds a bit mellower than the Greyboy Allstars album and Karl Denson's D Stands For Diesel, but has more than it's share of groove courtesy of Chris Stillwell and Zak Najor. Favourite track would be 'Kick To The Head, Burrito On The Floor'.
Well, that's all for now. Keep the groove alive. And remember, acid jazz can never die - if we can't define what it is, we can't very well pronounce it dead, now can we? :-)
peace, Jakub.