The Anomaly
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 May, 2001)
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Reviews (10)

Could Be Up Your Alley; Too Mature for Me
I only know Logic from this album and I must say he is not cutting things up too hard here.Most of the stuff here is at about the energy level of Air or like the mellower cuts on the last DJ Shadow record.This is not rowdy enough stuff for my taste.I was looking for a crazier turntablist pastiche, ala Peanut Butter Wolf or Australia's The Avalanches. If you want nutty cuts that are surprising and will move your feet and have strong beats, check out towards the end of the album, the cuts Hip-Hopera and Miles Away, which is all full of "Sketches of Spain" horns.Those two have me making spastic motions on the train if I have the headphones on but the rest of the album is for Medeski, Martin, and Wood fans only. Medeski actually guests on a track or two here even.

DJ Logic's colorfulspin on jazz
I saw DJ Logic open for the Dave Matthews Band, and I immediately knew that this is an artist worth checking into. Along with the music, seeing people dancing in their seats was what sold me. 'The Anomaly' basically captures the improvisational spirit of jazz, the groovy rhythms of funk, all under the framework of instrumental hip-hop. Just think St Germain meets RJD2 meets Cut Chemist. Blended into the mix is everything from Miles Davis trumpet bursts, Sly Stone basslines, to DJ turntable scratching. DJ Logic achieves the ultimate celebratory experience...turntabilism you can dance to.

Black buddah!
Yeah,Anomaly has many feeling of jam.It makes inspiration.
DJ Logic,He is just like conducter in the band.Cazy shows many talent.
It have a feeling of dance,trance! It's fun. ... Read more

Asin: B00005J9WU
Sales Rank: 14264
Subjects:  1. Dance Music    2. Hip-Hop    3. Jazz-Funk    4. Pop    5. Turntablism   

Bullfrog
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 October, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Montreal funk crew Bullfrog have a reputation for just being scratch DJ Kid Koala's backing band. It's something they clearly don't mind--the cover of their 2001 self-titled disc features a sticker with the famed turntablist's name prominently displayed. In truth, though, aside from a couple of frenetic solos and cut-up cuts like "Extra Track II" and a live version of his now-classic "Music for Morning People," Koala's role in Bullfrog is that of just another instrument, not a scratch-happy sideshow. The sextet prides itself on integrating raw funk with DJ action, and this disc, on the Rope-a-Dope imprint, is dominated by lazy, long-limbed funk, with Koala cutting up his favorite thrift store finds in the background. Jam-happy songs like "Ababa" might be repetitive and not particularly groundbreaking and the rhyming of MC Blurum 13 often falls flat, but it's the groove that rules here. --Matt Galloway ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Bullfrog?
I wasnt sure who Bullfrog was until i walked in on them a couple years back opening up for robert randolph at the House of Blues.Somebody bought this CD there and let me put it on my MD.I've been listening to this CD for about 3 years now and it is still kick'n.Kid Koala ands a nice touch to some of the tracks too.Catch em both live, good shows.

Yeah yeah yeaaaahhh !
I don't understand some previous reviews...this album is excellent, kid koala's touch, good spirit, original and creative music...YES !

Uninspired
I've owned this CD for a while, but haven't listened to it in at least a year.I got it out again specifically to write a review.My 'second' impressions:

Bullfrog is almost there.They have their sound pretty well developed -- complete with funky basslines, tight drumming, and backup Phish-style horns on two tracks -- but overall it's simply not that interesting.The obvious high points are the contributions from turntablist virtuoso Kid Koala, but even they are not as strong as his solo efforts.In fact, he's almost lost in the mix here, with Mark Robertson's less-than-witty "improvisational raps" taking center stage.

Like many sub-par "jam" band recordings, Bullfrog has has made a record that (in fifty minutes) never really goes anywhere.I've been told the live show is pretty rockin', and I can believe it.There is potential here, but the studio atmosphere did not capture it very well -- even with the few live tracks interspersed throughout.

For some good Koala turntablism, check out "Extra Track II" (#8) and "Allright: Music for Morning People" (#15). ... Read more

Asin: B00005QD7K
Subjects:  1. Acid Jazz    2. Dance Music    3. Pop   

The Philadelphia Experiment
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 June, 2001)
list price: $18.98
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Editorial Review

In the '40s, a time-travel experiment allegedly occurred in a Philadelphia naval yard. This fantastic combo of Philly musicians--pianist/keyboardist Uri Caine, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the rap combo the Roots--takes its name from that fictional event, and combines fusion, mainstream jazz, and R&B styles from the '70s to today. Augmented by guitar-legend Pat Martino and trumpeter John Swana, Thompson lays down some tricky jungle beats on the title track, while the threesome venture into the avant-garde on "(Re)moved" and into Latin on "IIe Ife." The group reincarnates Sun Ra's "Call for All Demons" as a funky instrumental, and they brilliantly revisit Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man," while Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" is redone as a classical-style McBride/Caine duet. The late saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. was Philly's patron jazz saint, as evidenced by Caine's reverent solo piano rendition of Washington's hit "Mr. Magic" and McBride's funky, overdubbed one-man electric bass version of "Just the Two of Us." This threesome reminds us that the City of Brotherly Love still swings. --Eugene Holley Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Simplemente excelente
Solo hace falta comprender quienes integran el experimento para entender la calidad de las canciones de este CD. Muy agradables mezclas de Hip Hop, Jazz y R&B, la versión de "Just the two of us" al final del cd es excelente, no muy lejos de su versión original en cuanto a tiempos y romanticismo, "Trouble Man" es el tema mas movido de todo el álbum y quisá una de las dos mejores junto a Groover, la cual, es la máxima expresión del llamado Jazz / Rap.

JuanP

Incredible
I love this CD's groove. Questlove and Christian McBride playing togetheralone tells you that this is going to kick ass. These guys prove that they are some of Philly's best musicians. It's nice to see Ahmir Thompson (drummer for multiple hip hop artists) show his jazz chops. He revealed himself to me that he's a complete drummer. Some of you are saying that Christian's excessive volume is bad, I disagree. His low, low bass frequency feels good, and it gives the songs a solid foundation. On top of all this, Uri Caine brings in the voice of the rhodes...yes.

I Was Expecting So much More...
I know about Brother Question from the Roots. I know of Christian McBride from some of the CD's in my Jazz collection. I expected Question to bring the funk on with the drum.I was expecting this album to move...it just lounges. It seemed one dimentional to me. I was even more disappointed to hear the Remixed-Philadelphia Experiment. Great!--remixed mediocrity. ... Read more

Asin: B00005JXQL
Subjects:  1. Acid Jazz    2. Funk    3. Jazz    4. Jazz-Rap    5. Pop   

The Word
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 July, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Sweet surrender's always been the subtext of gospel music, but thevelvet punch of this superstar jam band will knock out secular audiences aswell. The Word features John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood andyoungblood trio the North Mississippi Allstars,but its star is Robert Randolph, a 23-year-old from New Jersey who is the newgod of pedal-steel guitar. Randolph earned his chops in the Pentecostal church,performing the so-called "Sacred Steel" music well documented by the Arhoolielabel (see Sacred Steel, Vol. 2 for asample). He plays like an amalgamation of Duane Allman, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck,John Coltrane, Buddy Emmons, Bo Diddley, and Mahalia Jackson. In short, he'sbrilliant, so full of rock & roll energy, improvisational fire, and sonicacrobatics that the other great musicians on this disc mostly stay out of hisway. Randolph has a seemingly divine gift for on-the-fly harmony as he splitsthe difference between Sunday tent meetings and Saturday juke crawls on "KeepYour Lamp Trimmed & Burning." In the Allman Brothers-style jams,Randolph plays both Dickey Betts and Duane to Medeski's organ, handling sweet,clean scales and rich, mellow slide slurs. But his vocabulary extends wellbeyond American-roots music. "Blood on That Rock" ends in a free-improvmeltdown, and elsewhere his snaky lines sound like Middle Eastern holy singing.All of which makes The Word worth heeding. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Gospel gumbo
Growing up in country & western land I'm used to pedal steel. Having taken a liking to the blues some 35 years ago, I knew the Allstars. And being from the south, gospel is a weekly experience. Throwing all this in the pot and stirring produces a gumbo of styles. Top it off with one of my favorite songs of all time, the great I'll Fly Away. It's not for everyone.

Awesome!!!
I wasn't sure what to expect from this record, because I wasn't real familiar with any of the musicians except for Robert Randolph.However, after listening, I was very happy I bought this record.I found it strange that those few who gave a bad review of this record said that Robert's guitar was out of tune most of the time, because I am a musician who has perfect pitch, and I didn't notice anything severely out of tune.Believe me, anything out of tune drives me crazy, but all of the tunes on this record flowed nicely.To be truthful, Robert's guitar is out of tune a lot more severely when he's playing live, than on this record, so I'm not sure what those people are thinking.Oh, well, to each his own.Robert's my Hot Chocolate, and I'm giving this record five thumbs up.

Amazing
Robert Randolph is insane!I saw him live with Clapton a month or so ago, and was amazed.I purchased this, and it has since opened me up to the work of the North Mississippi Allstars, who are also amazing.The shear emotion that Mr. Randolph plays with is astounding. ... Read more

Asin: B00005M98F
Subjects:  1. Blues Gospel    2. Blues-Rock    3. Jam Bands    4. Jazz    5. Jazz Blues    6. Pop   

51 Phantom
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 December, 2001)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $18.98
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Editorial Review

Without forsaking the bluesy base of their well-received debut, the North Mississippi Allstars soar creatively on this ambitious follow-up. Original material and a spiritual dimension distinguish the song selection, with highlights that range from the gospel call-and-response of "Ship" to the down-and-dirty "Mud," from the psychedelic squall of "Sugartown" to a harmony-laden revival of the Staple Singers' "Freedom Highway." Producer Jim Dickinson gives the music plenty of room to breathe, while his two sons--guitarist Luther and drummer Cody--refine their soul-satisfying interplay with bassist Chris Chew. As the trio continues to emphasize groove and feel over power virtuosity, their musical progression parallels that made early in their careers by the Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers, and ZZ Top--an indication that these young Allstars have just begun to stretch their wings.--Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (17)

2nd time works again
The Dickinson brothers and bassist Chris Chew dredge up tons of earth from the riverbank with powerhouse crunching rhythms as they build up a legacy to old blues masters and their roots.Staying more closely in line with traditional blues, the All-Stars sound more like early ZZ Top in the distortion-fractured "Sugartown," but stay at home in the heat of the Delta ("Lord Have Mercy" and "Leavin'").Like Huck Finn's pappy, someone must have had a frightful case of alcohol-induced nightmares to see "Snakes in my Bushes." The message of "Freedom Highway" stands out for its clarity of purpose and focus, and since these guys are marching for the cause, you'd better check out www.nmallstars.com and www.tonecool.com to see where to catch the bus.Get onboard, y'all, and ride the 51 Highway!

Less 80s, more blues
Their first album, Shake Hands with Shorty, was badass. This time around, they got away from the rockified blues (and R.L. Burnside) and went more mainstream rock and roll. The only problem for me is that the rock and roll sounds way to 80s glam rock. Example: the laser-beam sound in the background one of the tracks. That's 80s, not blues, and way too cheesey.
Recommendation: buy their first album, skip this one.

One of the best young blues bands
The second cd from this band shows them branching out musically while still keeping true to their blues-rock roots. There are bits of gospel, soul, and even some hints of reggea on some of these songs. This is better produced than their first album and even though the songs are shorter and more compact the musicianship still comes through loud and clear. This new outing shows the band is growing. ... Read more

Asin: B00005S8M1
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Shake Hands With Shorty
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 May, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Powered by producer Jim Dickinson's sons Luther and Cody, this trio brings the hard-driving Mississippi hill-country style of blues-boogie to the jam-band generation. What's amazing is how they are able to stay true to the spirit of the blues perfected by idols (and neighbors) such as Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside while advancing the style in fresh and thrilling ways. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Upgraded blues...
This is a hot album. It's blues for today. I would describe their sound as a blend of Led Zep, Allmans, ZZ Top, Little Feat, Howling Wolf molded with any of today's jam bands. Everytime I would think I had their sound figured out they would throw me a curveball. Very cool stuff.

Great Debut, Not Flawless
I should preface this review by saying that I am a fan of the traditional delta style of blues; thus I am predisposed towards liking this album.

With that said, this really is a terrific album, and I would highly recommend it, with a few qualifiers.

First of all, the album can seem rather repetitive given the nature of most of the songs (7/10 written by the same two ancient bluesmen), and at times this can grate on the listener.Given my interest in this kind of blues, I was not bothered by the repetition, because it is so well done.Those not fully converted to this school of music may find it tiresome after the first listen.

Secondly, (this is inherently related to the first qualification), the album is not diverse with regard to the material.There is only one real departure from the old blues music, "K.C. Jones" which presents an interesting story set against a relatively technically proficient blues-country background.The rest could be one extended blues medley; whether this is good or bad is contingent upon the listener.

To summarize, this is an awesome album within a specific, and very defined, discipline.If the listener is not committed to this type of music, most likely he or she will not really enjy this c.d.If the converse is true, get ready for a great debut!

keeping the blues alive for a new generation
I think it's great that these guys are getting some attention.They're awesome.They put on a great show (even if they're sound equipment is almost unbearably loud).Being a North Mississippi native, it sometimes seems a little unreal that these guys are as well-known as they are.But they're very talented musicians with a fresh (to my generation) sound.BUY THIS ALBUM! ... Read more

Asin: B00004T0EE
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Songs from the Analog Playground
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 September, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Charlie Hunter always put his emphasis on the groove, using his eight-string guitar to create an uncanny blend of bright leads, bass lines, and chord riffs that can simulate classic funk organ. For Songs from the Analog Playground, he's added a series of guest vocalists to the mix, touching on pop sensibilities with an eclectic mix of originals and cover tunes. Norah Jones is the big news, bringing a breathy intimacy and soulful depths to Bryan Ferry's "More Than This" and Nick Drake's "Day Is Done," making them very much her own in the process. Theryl de Clouet, from the funk band Galactic, is a gritty, forceful presence on Earth, Wind & Fire's "Mighty Mighty" and the classic blues of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful," while Mos Def raps on "Street Sounds" and takes his own stab at R&B singing on "Creole." Kurt Elling's loose treatments of "Desert Way" and the Afro-Cuban suffused "Close Your Eyes" invoke traditional jazz singing. Tying it all together--vocals and instrumentals alike--are Hunter and his working quartet, stripping soul jazz down to its essentials, then rebuilding it in their own image, with frequent Latin and Caribbean touches expanded on by drummer Stephen Chopek and percussionist Chris Lovejoy. Hunter and tenor saxophonist John Ellis shine on jams like "Rhythm Music Rides Again" and "Run for It," alternately digging into the beat or floating atop. --Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Analog Playground
Songs from the Analog Playground is one of the better modern jazz albums I've heard.

It features a few solid guest vocalists along with some great playing by Charlie Hunter and his band.Each of the guest vocalists bring a uniqueness with them and they make their song special.

The vocalists help keep the album from getting too repetitive and boring.Norah Jones, Kurt Elling, Mos Def and the lead vocalist from the band Galactic do about two songs each.There are also some straight-ahead instrumentals.

The entire cd is filled with very good music.It's very laidback, jazzy and grooving.

I would recommend this Cd, even to people who are on the fringe of being jazzheads because it has that universal musical appeal.Good stuff!

Get this only if you're a hippie
I got this after hearing that Charlie Hunter was "the future" of jazz. Well, this comment is totally off the mark. Hunter isn't the future of anything, he's nothing but yet another hippie jammer straight off the current bandwagon. Really quite bad.

a great choice
A definite choice for any jazz and funk fan.it is a perfect balance of rythms, jazz, funk, vocals, and soft sounds.Sweet enough for any woman, tough enough for any guy.If you like Hunter, buy the CD ... Read more

Asin: B00005NU6A
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

Welcome Home
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 June, 1999)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Reviews (22)

Good Energy perpetuates good energy!
Dude! these guys can groove for hours and hours. I've never heard anything like it in my life. This is deffinately one of their best albums, but each one is different. This one has some crazy bass and keyboard solo's on it. Seven Inch Six is one of my favorite songs on the album, but all the tracks were tight. They're sound is so original that it breaks a new boundary within the jazz, hiphop, funk, pish-type o' sound.

Mind Blowing
I am inspired by the music this band makes.I have listened to WelcomeHome probably 200 times since it came out, and I am not tired of it yet. "Mountin Scream" is amazing - the first minute or so is downrightTibetan.I am anxious to hear their next release!

Even Better
What can I say about JFJO?I like it!I have listened to these guys since they began and their sound and their music is developing quite well over time.Welcome Home is great a CD that showcases the talents of thisyoung and "on the rise" band.I do make this request however, Iwant more Dove blazing guitar solos!The reason I give this 4 instead of 5stars is because I see even better and greater things from this band in thenear future! ... Read more

Asin: B00000J26L
Sales Rank: 64606
Subjects:  1. Jam Bands    2. Jazz    3. Jazz-Funk    4. Pop   

A Go Go
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 April, 1998)
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Editorial Review

John Scofield's stature as a modern jazz master on electric guitar puts him in a sweet spot for this simmering, sexy collaboration with acid jazz pathfinders Medeski, Martin and Wood, Scofield's taut and spicy lines striking sparks against the soulful grooves pitched by drummer Billy Martin, keyboard colorist John Medeski, and bassist Chris Wood. Far from a cheap commercial shot, the leader's plunge into this reheated '60s style is appropriately redolent of its funk heritage and his own astringent command of sharp lyrical and smart harmonic asides. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Funky As S**t
Almost every track on this album makes me want to get up and dance... and I don't usually do that sort of thing. This is modern funk at its best. The improv by everybody is as good as is the groove. If your looking for complicated lines and advanced harmonic ideas, this probably isn't your album, but with a few nicely placed harmonic, and rhythmic suprises this album reigns as one of my All Time Favs.

Groove from Start to Finish
This disc is unbelievable.Although Scofield wrotes the tunes, just as much credit has to be given to MMW on this disc.Martin and Wood hold down the tightest groove throughout the disc and Medeski is the perfect counterpart to Sco's solos and melodies.This disc really hints at what Sco would be up to a few years later with "Uberjam"and the current John Scofield Band.These guys know how to play together and it really shows on this disc.

Sco's best...
An easy listen all the way through- a friend once described it as something like sophisticated funky bachelor-pad music and that's not so wrong. There's a lot of subtlety that will grow on you, trust me, it's addictive and fun. Great for driving, chillin at home, sitting and thinking. It's feels less forced than some of Sco's later "Jam" efforts and MMW doesn't head for outer space here so it's a decent intro to their sound for the uninitiated. Flawless. ... Read more

Asin: B0000069NM
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Jazz    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Post-Bop   

Last Chance to Dance Trance (perhaps): Best of 1991-1996
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 October, 1999)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Editorial Review

It's really no wonder the trio of John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood hit it big with the improv-rock crew. Their grooves are impeccable and strong, at once taut and fully limber. And this collection shows that MMW knew their grooves even on their minor-splash debut, Notes from the Underground in the early 1990s, when Medeski played mainly piano. The tracks here range from organ-driven rhythmic twisters to slinky reggae covers ("Bemsha Swing/Lively Up Yourself," taken from 1993's It's a Jungle in Here) and all-out keyboard blasters built on loopy jazz-fusion rhythms (as on "Beeah"). Reprising the material that predates MMW's astonishingly successful Combustication, this album reveals a trio that has managed to combine grooves, postbop improvisation, and stellar talent without flinching from their first recorded outing. That you can catch the highlights of their first five releases--plus an unreleased live "Night Marchers"--on this one CD is a boon. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great "best of"
This is a great album but I wouldn't recommend buying it.This album has a great assortment of songs which show off many of their older sides, but do not weave the wonderful stories their other complete albums do.I'd recommend buying either "It's a Jungle..." or "Shack man" and listen to it from start to finish a couple dozen times.Those are amazing experiences.Once you listen to those two, you will buy the rest of their music, and then have no need for this "greatest hits album."

a "best of" that works
I often have issues with "best of" releases. Either just poor track selections or a failure for the tracks to merge into a cohesive whole. But that's not the case with Last Chance. It's excellent from start to finish and represents MMW very well.

MMW is a hip and modern jazz trio with a penchant for experimentation and funky beats. Their sound isn't for everyone. But if you're looking for something fresh and exciting, definitely grab this cd. It's a great intro to the group.

...not for all jazz fans!...
...most of this disc had to grow on me, like that hand-like parasite from the alien movies...and after awhile it did just that!!!they grabbed me by the throat and told me to pay attention!!!they on some jazz-fusion stuff, not as hard as herbie hancock's 'rockit' but related...in fact, they probably can be considered the next generation art-of-noise (a group i use to love back in the day!)...some of the music here really stands out, i'm glad to have this in my collection... ... Read more

Asin: B00001ZSUM
Subjects:  1. Fusion    2. Hip-Hop    3. Jam Bands    4. Jazz    5. Jazz-Funk    6. Pop