The Pour Le Connaisseur reviews for 2002.
December 8, 2002
Susanabaca "La no che y el dia" (Giant Step Records 10")
Chris Brann doing a fine remix for Wamdue Productions. A laidback vibe with the vocals and guitar sitting on top of a percussive, warm groove create a mellow feeling.
Kyoto Jazz Massive "The brightness of these days / Mind expansions" (Compost Records 12")
"The brightness of these days" is a spiritual jazz piece with a heavy and higly melodic foundation. Quantic give it a strong remix that starts off on a downbeat tip before the drum rhythm track kicsk in. Also featured is the 'Blaze Shelter Sundae Mix' of "Mind expansions".
November 3, 2002
Trüby Trio featuring Joseph Malik "High jazz" (Compost Records 12" Promo)
Nicola Conte from Bari/Italy delviers a cool uplifting jazz house tune with superb solo parts. The mix is a swinging affair with a 60's jazz feel. On the flip, Trüby Trio remix their own track and and add darker string sounds and a bass with a distinctive Detroit feel. More remixes by Freeform Five are coming soon on a second 12".
September 22, 2002
Jaymz Nylon "Shango" (King Britt Remix)(Irma Records 12" Test Pressing)
King Britt keeps it simple on this remix that basically just is a funky groove with some spoken words over it, added by spheric keys. Nevertheless, it has an irresistible vibe to it.
Joe Claussell "Git wa" (Spiritual Life Music Records One-Sided 12" Promo)
Lifted from Joe Claussell's longplayer "Language" (a new album is already in the making), this limited one-sdied promo coming on blue vinyl features just one version coming your way on a deep, spiritual tip full of percussion and a lovely flute.
August 25, 2002
Various "Spiritual Life Music Sampler Volume 5" (Spiritual Life Records 12" Promo)
The "Spiritual Life Music Samplers" have a tradition in bringing unreleased mixes or productions to the lucky few able to find these promo pressings. Volume 5 features the 'Rebirth Instrumental' of "Odo oya" by Ola Jagun & The Ancestral Ryhthms, the 'Slam Mode Instrumental' of "Blackman know yourself" by Femi Kuti (coming soon as 2x12") and the unrelease "El passado" by Mental Remedy featuring Marie Alphonso, a laidback percussive track on a jazzy edge with lovely instrumentation.
Kuniyuki "Precious hill" (Natural Resource Records 12")
The original version is a percussive, ambient house groover with abstract keys while the 'Secret Street Mix' is a pure jazzy interpretation.
Chari Chari "Across the universe / Flow dub" (Ultima Records 12")
"Across the universe" comes in a previously unreleased version by Frankie Valentine making use of a cool organ ride. "Flow dub" got remixed by Heinz Tronigger & DJ Pogo into a dubby, percussive affair with cool keys.
August 11, 2002
Various "Danny Krivit Re-Edit" (Ibadan Records 12" Promo)
This 12" includes exclusive re-edits by Danny Krivit of "Rock steady" by Aretha Franklin and "Sultana" by Titanic. Obviously, he had access to parts of "Sultana" that haven't been on the released versions so far. Both songs are taken from the forthcoming "Spacelab Yellow Phase 2" compilation which is compiled by Jerome Sydenham & Ryo Watanabe.
Ola Jagun & The Ancestral Ryhthms "Odo oya" (Unreleased Mixes)(Spiritual Life Music Records 12" Promo)
Spiritual Life Music continue to make those limited 12" released including unreleased mixes of their gems. This 12" includes the full acapella, an edit of the album version and mixes by Wyne Gardiner and Boyd Jarvis & Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell.
July 21, 2002
Garsaaidi "Frank Zaffa" (Remixes)(Compost Records 12" Promo)
Originally out in 1995, now getting a re-release with brand new remixes. The original is built around bouncing breakbeats and has a chill-out, balearic feel. The Florian Keller remix is more on an offbeat tip with analogue sounding melodies. Sequuel delivers two variations. The '131 Mix' is a very homogenous and harmonic track with an offbeat while the 'Dream Mix' is based around a warm and melodic house groove.
Various "Trip do Brasil 2 EP 5" (Rythmix Records 12")
An EP for the collector featuring the 'Kybo Mix' of "Kot rete" by Mental Remedy and "Tente imaginar" by Larry Heard, a laidback track with jazzy keys, featuring both a portuguese and english dialog.
July 7, 2002
Black Science Orechstra "Sunshine" (Soul Weekender Remixes)(Afro Art Records 12")
New mixes of this beauty right for the summer. These mixes are built around a laidback, old-school groove on a midtempo tip.
Ser-Jaye "Mahal kita (I love you)" (NeatMusic Records 12")
Laidback vibes with classy strings, soulful vocals and a killer harmonica.
June 9, 2002
Jazztronik "Remixes EP 2 + Shinobi" (Flower Records 2x12")
Second part of various remixes of Jazztronik tracks coming on a double 12". Shuji Hirose & Johnny Dangerous get wild on "Dizzin'" while Yukihiro Fukutomi reworks "Feel the air" and Little Big Bee takes on "Spur". Also included is the new production "Shinobi", coming in its original version and a remix by Two Banks of Four.
May 12, 2002
3 Generations Walking "To live" (Spiritual Life Music Records 12")
Very jazzy with an electric bass, trumpet, flugel horn, drums and french vocals that make it sound a bit weird the first time you hear it, but the more you listen to it, the more you're gonna like it. This record certainly has the musical spirit in it...
May 5, 2002
Various Artists "Verve//Remixed" (Verve Records Triple-Album)
Finally, this long awaited project is out. The first single relase from this album, the Masters at Work remix of Nina Simone's "See line woman" has already getting lots off attention. The project covers various styles of music from house over trip hop to 2-step and drum'n'bass.
Remixers such as Masters at Work, MJ Cole, Joe Claussell, Rae & Christian, Tricky, UFO, King Britt to name a few rework some of the biggest Verve classics from artists like Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerlad, Billie Holiday, Tony Scott, Sarah Vaughan, Willie Bobo and more. This is a versatile album that deserves to be checked out.
Bah Samba "Album sampler" (Estereo Records 12")
A three track taster for their album that will be released in june. "Drifting" is on jazz-funky tip with female vocals and lots of percussion. "Sugar beet" is a percussive track with a jazzy edge. "Reach inside" is a uptempo vocal track on a house tip.
March 10, 2002
Nina Simone "See-line woman" (Verve Records 12" Promo)
Taken from the forthcoming album "Verve Re-Mixed", this includes the original version from 1964 on the flip with the Masters at Work remix on the a-side. They stick close to the original and add extra jazzy instrumentation with the result being a marvellous piece of music.
Antonio Ocasio "Introspection Volume 1 - Another Perspective" (Tribal Winds Records 12")
Antonio is blessing us with unreleased mixes of "Pa'que gozen" and "Cosinando" that simply showcase what his label stands for.
Joseph Malik "Take it all in and check it all out" (Compost Records 12")
The title track of this 12" is a cover of the Bill Withers tune that takes soul to a new level by the way folk, jazz, dance and r&b are combined. The flip holds another two slamming tracks showcasing the unique talent of this songwriter and producer.
February 17, 2002
Brandy "The ritual" (Yellow Records 12")
"Bossa très... Jazz II" presents this tribal-ish percussion track on a minimalistic tip. Chateau Flight deliever a remix on their flip that changes to a serious house beat in the middle with extra acidic keys.
February 3, 2002
T. Kolai featuring David Cosby "Congo" (Vinylicious Records 12")
On a midtempo tip, lots of percussion, a lovely guitar, violin, flute and african chants. This are just the hard facts of this release, but they cannot describe the beauty of it. Simply a wonderful piece of music. Be on the lookout for an album by T. Kolai coming later this year.
Next Evidence "Dance on" (EMI Records One-Sided 12")
Produced by Maxime Cohen and Mickael Tordjman who give us only one version on this single sided 12". But no need to worry, what you get is pure quality music on a jazz-funk tip.
January 27, 2002
Jazztronik "Remixes EP 1 + Tendervision" (Flower Records 2x12")
Various remixes of Jazztronik tracks on this double 12" to choose from. Dave Warrin reworks "Don't hold in your tears" to a mellow groover. At Jazz's interpretation of "Brisa" is on a jazz tip with a warm and soulful broken down groove. "Song of bebe" gets the treatment from Sunaga t Experience and is on a future azz tip. Su-paka-pooh take over on "Zoology". The result is a hypnotic house groove with spacey keys. There is also the new "Tendervision" which is a jazzy track on a drum'n'bass tip.