Mark De Clive-Lowe & The Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra - Take The Space

[JSngry]

https://soundcloud.c...-clive-lowe-the

Broken beat luminary with allegedly serious jazz training/skills meets highly competent very traditional big band with top-notch-if-generic soloists. Broken Beat's roots in "spiritual jazz" get highlighted, the jazz big band's roots as dance orchestra get rejuvenated. Good things happen, everybody wins, and probably nobody will like it because it's got drum machines, it's got a kit drummer, it's too commercial, it's go no vocals and long solos, it's a total contrivance, it's not really any one bag, it's not jazz, it's that damn jazz shit. Etc. Something here to piss EVERYBODY off.

Nevertheless, if the idea of the Music Inc. Big Band playing for a roomful of sweaty 21st Century dancing people gives you cause to consider an impish grin, this is the album for you. I'm digging the LOL shit out of it myself.

Edited February 9, 2013 by JSngry

[Bluesnik]

I like Mark de Clive Lowe and have done so for more than ten years.

[Bluesnik]

One of his better projects, where I think he was involved and which I am listening to now, is The Politik, with singer Bembe Segue.

[JSngry]

Yeah, I've been keeping an ear on his work for 5-6 years now. Really interesting mix of ingredients in his work...but I've been a little disheartened by his last few projects, sounded like he was giving up and going for a more or less "sure thing" in terms of a commercially viable dance sound, He just produced a project for Sy Smith that sounds like he did the best he could with what he had, but...it just didn't have that spark.

And then THIS thing comes along...I'm on record somewhere in the bowels of this board as saying that I don't hear any reason whatsoever why serious players shouldn't be able to play all over this this broken beat stuff, it swings like a mofo, and reactions ranged from seriously? (yes) to why don't you do it yourself? (because I'm old and don't have the connections, personally or musically), and now, well, here it is, with the treat I didn't really see coming of some really perceptive charts by leader Johan Plum & a band that is voiced like Gil Evans and executes like Stan Kenton and who aren't at all "distracted" by any of the "outside" elements that de Clive-Lowe's music brings o a "traditional" jazz environment. If anything, they sound energized by it.

Didn't see this one coming. What a very pleasant surprise!

[Bluesnik]

But I've been a little disheartened by his last few projects, sounded like he was giving up and going for a more or less "sure thing" in terms of a commercially viable dance sound

I must admit I am not so familiar with his latest efforts and don't know what he's been doin as of late. Maybe he's more inclined to dance sounds now. What I liked most was what he used to do, which was always like a mix between broken beat and fusion. By the way, he's of Australian-Japanese descent. What a curious and interesting mixture.

[JSngry]

Back in stock at DG, ad for a good proce. http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=vjxznyg67f&ref=index.php