This is a mix that focuses on (mostly) underground jazz. A few years ago, I went through a crazy jazz and instrumental music kick. To the point where I wouldn't listen to anything with vocals. The absence of vocals and lyrics in traditional pop-song time limits creates a special relationship with the listener and the music. Instead of focusing on someone else's words, the listener transcends mere language and begins to understand and delineate meaning through melody. Its a strange and wonderful moment when, rather than listening to words about heart break, you feel the heart break in rhythm, you experience it in sheer sound. Other than that musicianship, songwriting, and the subtlety of sound all come in sharper contrast when one excludes words and instead embraces song.
An interesting thing happened to jazz in the 80's and 90's. On one front, crappy radio stations took it from being one of the most exciting advances in art in music to being a novelty, something to laugh at in the elevator, a safe haven for the unhip and boring. At the same time, jazz went underground, took root in the UK and began to ingest the styles of hip-hop (which it had itself influenced) electronica, and a million other genres and styles. Record labels popped up that were entirely dedicated to this new wave of hip-jazz and electro-breaks (Ninja Tune, Tru Thoughts etc) and this new style of jazz moved from turn table based efforts to full big band style amazing music.
In this mix, I have included several UK artists (Wagon Christ, Nostalgia 77, Bonobo, DJ Food) American Artists and bands old and new. I also went a bit past mere jazz to those that are taking the essential roots of jazz and pushing those into exciting new contexts (Julian Lynch, Do Make Say Think, Colin Stetson).
This mix is for more than just listening, its for thinking. And I've talked too much already. After all, "talking about music is like dancing about architecture."
Tracks:
1. Introfunktion- Wagon Christ
2. Cheney Lane- Nostalgia 77
3. Lillian- Alias & Ehren
4. A Day at the Racetrack- Julian Lynch
5. Journey in Satchidananda- Alice Coltrane
6. Black Sands- Bonobo
7. Sea of Cloud- Nujabes
8. Carcass- Chicago Afrobeat Project
9. The Righteous Wrath of an Honorable Man- Colin Stetson
10. Dep- Javelin
11. Um, Circles and Squares- Dosh
12. Footsteps- Maker
13. Mango Lassi- Maker
14. Crescent- NOMO
15. Ontario Plates- Do Make Say Think
16. End Theme- Zero 7
17. Nocturne (sleep dyad 1)- DJ Food
Click Here to download this awesome mix and enjoy! Let me know what you think. FOREAL!
