The Bad Plus Joined By Wendy Lewis
For All I Care
2009, Full disclosure: more often than not I dislike vocal jazz. I mean there are exceptions, but not a lot of them. For All I Care is one of those exceptions. I'm not sure if it's because this is a collection of covers of rock and pop songs rather than jazz standards. Or maybe it's because Wendy Lewis really doesn't have some kind of jazzy show-off vocal style? Whatever it is - it works. Opening with Nirvana's "Lithium," should come across as overwrought but the shifting changes in tempo immediately make it clear that we will not be in autopilot mode on this record. Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" and Wilco's "Radio Cure" are soul-crushing here. The Bee Gee's "How Deep Is Your Love" and The Flaming Lips' "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate" are full of hope, while "Barracuda" just plain rocks. Peppered throughout are a few instrumental covers and really the whole thing just hangs together really well. This album serves as an easy entryway to introduce non-jazz fans to modern jazz.
Donald Byrd
Stepping Into Tomorrow
1974, I don't know if this album is super well-known. It's definitely not one that I hear people referencing very often. So if it is a bit of a hidden gem then what a gem it is! Stepping Into Tomorrow is an essential jazz-funk record. Basically this one feels like a hip hop record with no rapping. There are some chorus vocals here and there, and honestly I'd be happier without them, but nothing that totally turns me off. This is straight head nodding music, though and a high point in Byrd's discography, at least in my opinion. The title track (written by Larry Mizell) is a must-hear as far as jazz-funk goes. Surprisingly, the only Byrd original here is the closer, "I Love The Girl." This record is highly recommended.
The Heliocentrics
Out There
2007, The Heliocentrics seemed to come out of nowhere with the release of Out There and pretty much introduced themselves as a band that wasn't going anywhere. They had already found their sound by the time their debut hit. It's that of a sort of future soul-jazz that is equal parts spacey Sun Ra and tight hip hop beats. (Of course this makes total sense when you realize that their first high profile gig was working on DJ Shadow's The Outsider.) Out There is a totally epic way to introduce a band. It is a sprawling playful mess with reverb-drenched guitars dripping all over Malcom Catto's anchored drums. If there's any complaint I could have here it's that sometimes the record can feel a bit too long. While its twenty-four tracks are all relatively short, it still comes across feeling like two records rather than just one. But that's not exactly a dig. There are so many great tracks here such as standouts like "Distant Star" and "Sirius B." Although this may not be quite as envelope-pushing as some of their later albums, Out There is a fantastic debut and certainly a hint of the greatness that The Heliocentrics would begin to flood the market with in coming years.
Madlib
Advanced Jazz
2010, Volume 8 in Madlib's Medicine Show series was effectively a mixtape of some of his favorite jazz. However this isn't a collection of songs - rather moments - all stitched together to create new pastiches from tiny snippets. There's no real tracklisting here and even trying to identify any of the many samples is a game of its own. With track titles being little more than names of jazz masters ("Miles," "Ra," "Herbie" and so on) and the usual Madlib talent of fighting the most bizarre non sequitur pieces of stray dialogue, spoken word poetry and absurd comedic skits this album plays out like some kind of hazy jazzy daydream where legendary musicians from varying eras all just blur together in some kind of fantasy jam session that never was. Drum solos give way to drum solos while beat poetry is recited and a bassline can be played for what feels like eternity. It's easy to call this collection aimless - because truly it is. Just not necessarily in a bad way.
Madlib
Shades Of Blue
2003, This album honestly should have been credited to Yesterdays New Quintet, because really that's what it feels like - a YNQ album of Blue Note covers. But fine. I'm sure the label felt like 'Libs name was more recognizable than his fake-band's was at the time. Anyway this is one of those absolute desert island discs for me. It is one of my constant go-to albums. It is brilliant. It opens with "Distant Land," where Ahmad Miller showcases some new vibes. We get a "Mystic Bounce," which is a recreation of "Mystic Brew," which means that this is the closest we may ever get to YNQ performing A Tribe Called Quest. The take on Donald Byrd's "Stepping Into Tomorrow" is incredible - I hate to say I probably prefer this version - thanks to the amazing vocals on the chorus that were somehow left on the cutting room floor of the original sessions. We get a take on Hutcherson's "Montara" which has long been a favorite of mine - all the way back since The Roots covered it on the New Groove compilation in the mid-90's. And there's more: "Song For My Father," "Footprints," "Dolphin Dance"... honestly every track is worth talking about. This record is totally essential.
Kendrick Scott Oracle
We Are The Drum
2015, I really feel like We Are The Drum was overlooked in 2015. I'm not exactly sure how considering the backing of Blue Note. It's a fantastic record though. It opens with the stunning title track and flows naturally from there. I always say that there needs to be more drummers as leaders - and Scott does a wonderful job of leading. That is, he never gets in the way nor allows showing off his own skills to come at the sacrifice of the song. He clearly respects his music and his band. Lizz Wright stops by to deliver a lovely vocal performance on "This Song In Me." And really there's plenty to recommend here. But the real highlight for me is Scott's take on "Never Catch Me" originally performed by Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar. I mean the original song would have been easy to just play the main piano part and riff on from there. It would pretty much be an instantly great jazz track, right? But Scott begins by experimenting on his kit for a while before giving way to those heartbreaking keys and then the band quickly shifts into almost unrecognizable territory while only sporadically bringing the main melody back into the fold. It is utterly gorgeous. And so much of this record is full of prettiness that manages to obscure its more daring tendencies. More ears need to hear this one.
