Comments (1) ... Throwing down a range of jazz styles from Latin to soul, instrumental to vocal, Jazzanova demonstrate they don't have to remix a classic to make it sound fresh. The grooves laid down are sure to strike a chord with younger jazz fans, the ones who grew up listening to electronic music, and bring a smile to the faces of long-time jazz lovers who aren't afraid to enjoy a wide range of styles.

1. Bobbi Humphrey "You Make Me Feel So Good"
2. Donald Byrd "Think Twice"
3. Bobby Hutcherson "YuYo"
4. Horace Silver "I've Had A Little Talk"
5. Horace Parlan "Congalegra"
6. James Moody And His Bop Men with Art Blakey "Tin Tin Deo"
7. Kenny Dorham Octet "Afrodisia"
8. Lee Morgan "Afreaka"
9. Sam Rivers "Beatrice"
10. Herbie Hancock "Maiden Voyage"
11. Freddie Hubbard "Blue Spirits"
12. Bobby Hutcherson "Love Song"
13. Horace Silver "Nobody Knows"
14. Chico Hamilton "The Morning Side Of Love"
15. The Waters "Sitting Here All Alone"
16. Gene Harris "Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong"
17. Curtis Fuller "Quantrale"
18. The Horace Silver Quintet "Señor Blues (vocal version)"
19. Tina Brooks "Theme For Doris"
20. Sheila Jordan "Baltimore Oriole"
21. Charlie Rouse "Merci Bon Dieu"
22. Duke Pearson "Xibaba"
23. Bobby Hutcherson "Hello To The Wind"
24. Eddie Gale "Song Of Will"
25. Bobbi Humphrey "Is This All?"

Among lovers of downtempo music, Berlin-based DJ and producer collective Jazzanova needs little introduction. They made a name for themselves turning out an incredible number of high-quality mixes, and have solidified the reputation through their own original works. Among jazz afficionado's Blue Note needs no introduction. In the fourth installment of its "Blue Note Trip" series, Blue Note once again opens up its trove of jazz masterpieces and have enlisted the talents of Jazzanova to make the selections. This is the first time this series hasn't been compiled by DJ Maestro, and what's resulted is a 2-disc trip that lives up to its billing, "Lookin' Back, Movin' On".

Jazzanova pull you right in from the first track, Bobbi Humphrey's "You Make Me Feel So Good". It's funky, soul-jazz style shows you just where artists like Kruder & Dorfmeister, Tosca and the like gained inspiration. This track is followed up by Donald Byrd's "Think Twice", a ubiquitous staple in nearly every downtempo DJ's set (primarily thanks to Ralph Myerz & Jack Herren Band cover). A mix of Latin and soul-jazz cuts move on from here with the last half being fairly sax heavy jams from the likes of Lee Morgan, Sam Rivers, Herbie Hancock and Freddie Hubbard.

On the second disc there are still a number of soul-influenced jazz pieces but the moods are softer, with a number of female vocal-led tracks from the likes of Horace Silver, The Waters, . In fact, I'd say the first quarter of the second disc (kicking off with Bobby Hutcherson's "Love Song") has a stronger dose of soul than the first, but with Curtis Fuller's "Quantrale" the sounds takes a trip down Cuba way. The Horace Silver Quintet delivers a bluesy, Latin croon with the vocal version of "Señor Blues" and shortly after Sheila Jordan brings us into the slow-burning, torchy, lounge space of "Baltimore Oriole". Bobbi Humphrey closes it out with the slow blowing winds of "Is This All?".

You can tell this is practically a love affair for the Jazzanova collective. If you're looking for a soundtrack to take center stage at your next swank soirée, Jazzanova's edition of Blue Note Trip isn't the right thing, but if you need to score an intimate and thoroughly jazzy get-together with a few close friends, this collection is so right.



The word according to Blue Note:

Berlin's Jazzanova collective formed in 1995 after DJing with one another at a club called Delicious Doughnuts. Alexander Barck, Class Brieler, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, Axel Reinemer, and Jurgen von Knoblauch shared a common goal of blending their collected inspirations together to create a new, sophisticated sound with debts owed to nearly every form of dance-oriented music from the past several decades. Like a lot of upstart producers and underexposed jazz-funk ghosts of the past, Jazzanova got their first major break from BBC disc jockey Giles Peterson who played the group's first production, "Fedime's Flight" on his program in 1997. This helped set off a series of remix projects and the Jazzanova name became known for inspired DJ sets as well.

The collective has now compiled an album for Blue Note Records based totally on its catalog. In this particular Blue Note 'DJ set' comprised of vintage tracks, Jazzanova created distinctly different moods on the two discs. Generating energetic moments with melodies and arrangements, Jazzanova displays that Blue Note has released all kinds of different styles of music, avoiding the jazz stereotype.

Their selection of tracks was based on two main criteria: club sensibility and radio affinity. Blending these aspects has been the core of the Jazzanova idea of music.

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