Fans of 90s acid-jazz acts like Jamiroquai, the Brand New Heavies and Incognito will find plenty to love on this throwback set of funk-pop aimed at the dance floor. Jazz heads, not so much, besides tantalising guest spots from trumpeters Emma-Jean Thackray and Theo Croker.
DJ and producer Gilles Peterson – despite the misleading “acid jazz”, which had little to do with improvisation or psychedelics – has plenty of love and knowledge of jazz. You might not notice that from this second collaboration with Incognito founder Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick, though. Maunick, a producer and guitarist from Mauritius, has worked with the likes of George Benson and Stevie Wonder.
This retro-sounding collection stirs in influences ranging from the late 70s (Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Hubert and Ronnie Laws) up to more recent jazz-funk artists like Thundercat and Takuya Kuroda. When You Call Me could be a Jimi Tenor track, while Brighton duo Anushka’s Bad Weather brings to mind 90s band Morcheeba.
The jazziest tracks are the three featuring trumpeters Thackray and Croker, especially Croker’s Soothsayer (a stirring original, not the Wayne Shorter tune). Thackray adds vocals on Lazy Days, which despite its name is an energising track that could get you going in the morning better than espresso.
Most of the rest is pleasant, slick funk-soul that may make you nod your head but is soon forgotten (and best so when it comes to the inane lyrics). Some of it (e.g., Night Flight) devolves into corny hotel-lounge muzak. The album ends on a stronger note though with Virgil, a tasty slice of fusion-funk featuring another fine trumpet solo, an all-too-brief appearance from Ryan Quigley.
Discography
Galactic Fanfare; City Sounds; Turn Me Around; When You Call Me; Why Must You Fly; To Be As One; (Bring On The) Bad Weather; Reflections (Chaser 1); Night Flight; Soothsayer; Reflections (Chaser 2); Lazy Days; Find Your Heaven; Virgil (vocal version); Something, Anything (58.37)
Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick (g, v, kyb, sit, glockenspiel); Gilles Peterson (v, prod); Theo Croker, Ryan Quigley (t); Emma-Jean Thackray (t, v); João Caetano (v, pc, cga, djembe); Anushka, Valerie Etienne, Megan Khan, Victoria Port (v); Peter Hinds, Richard Bull (kyb); Trevor Mires (tb); Paul Booth (ts); Matt Cooper (p); Francis Hylton (b); Ski Oakenfull, Carl Hudson (syn); Charlie Allen (g); Francesco Mendolia (d). London, 2021-22.
Brownswood Recordings BWOOD0287LP
