The Rebirth Of Cool Series

MINE

This collection remains so good, it's one I have no problem dragging out again and again.  But it's difficult to say exactly what it is.  Acid jazz?  Ambient? Trip-hop?  All of these and more.

The rendition of My Favourite Things (yes, from The Sound of Music) by Ronny Jordan was for many years the theme music to a show I did on community radio.  That's on Volume Three - which I had to re-buy after leaving it in the radio studio one time and having it walk away.  And because of that, I saw Ronny Jordan perform in a small Sydney venue - one of the best jazz guitar performances I've ever seen.

I bought the first album in this collection because it was in the Staff Recommended section of a small music shop I frequented.  And then the rest followed because I couldn't imagine not buying them, the first was so good.  My personal favourite is Phive, but any and all of them are top-notch.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

The Rebirth Of Cool series is one Mine introduced into our collection when we got married. And while I'd heard of it and certainly heard tracks from many of the artists, this compilation series was never really on my radar.

But I'm so glad Mine, in all her infinite wisdom, which I do mean sincerely, had the good taste to purchase the collection because of all the compilations we have (and aside from our perennial favourite, Dusted, and some of the wonderful freebies we've scored from magazines like Mojo and Q over the years) this is by far the best.  But which of the five is top of the list starts fights in our house (okay, it doesn't start fights and if it did, well, I'm a wimp and Mine would probably win all the time).

I really like the first one.  But this is not taking anything away from any of the collections, although I will say this for the compilers: they cast their nets wide for some of these tracks.  But therein is the secret to a good compilation, I believe.  A good compilation has the ability to draw the punter in with a few recognisable names but include damn fine tracks by bands most of us have never heard of and probably will never hear of again.

So, while I could mention names you, dear readers, would recognise, the bombastic part of me wants to name bands you won't know.  Thankfully, I like to think I'm beyond such pretension...  Or maybe saying I'm not means I am...

Erm...

Regardless, there is so much ground to cover if I start naming names, this might well turn into the longest piece I've done for this blog.  But instead, I'll leave it to you to find out for yourselves.  Believe me, it's worth the trouble.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

YOURZ

This is without a doubt one of the best hip hop records ever made, hands down.  Not only is it ground breaking in its use of jazz samples expertly produced into some of the greatest beats in the genre, the lyrics are smart, funny and relevant to the times, while pretty much avoiding any profanity (well, okay there is a little, but compared to most other records in the genre, this is almost squeaky clean).

Cited by scholarly types as being a generational link between the old (jazz) and new (hip hop), The Low End Theory uses a diverse array of samples from many artists including Miles Davis, Average White Band, Steve Miller, Minnie Ripperton, Sly Stone, The Last Poets and James Brown.  But it is really quite a hard job to spot any sample in particular, such is the genius of Quest's production.

I’ve not heard this album for some time, but listening to it was reminded why I loved this era of hip hop.  The production is clean and relatively uncluttered, the beats are fat and simple and the flow is playful and intelligent at the same time.  And while they approach a number of different issues, they do so with tact and don't sound preachy.  No wonder it keeps making appearances in greatest 90s albums lists: it is near perfect and where it isn’t, well, it only adds to the overall charm.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I was wondering why I hadn't played this album - given that I'm a big acid jazz fan and have a bunch of Tribe songs on my Rebirth of Cool compilations.  I have no answer for that.  This is my kinda music - albeit it's a little heavier on the rap than I prefer, they still have the great melody lines and jazz samples I spent most of the mid-90's listening to.

I was almost certain I'd seen these guys too, but a short consultation with Dr Google tells me they toured here for the first time ever this year (damn it, why didn't I know that?).  Must be getting mixed up with some other acid jazzy dudes.  Maxi Priest, Ronny Jordan - there were a bunch of 'em.

I guess I get a bit confused with YourZ calling them a hip-hop act - because I just don't see them that way.  What this conjures up to me is long nights playing pool at Kinselas, drinking vodka tonics with my Kiwi friend Anne and working out how we were going to make it to next payday, given that we were going out four nights a week.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information go to: http://atribecalledquest.com/html/