Whoever said "if you don't know your past, you can't know your future" must have realized life's relevance throughout history. This adage has its meaning in so many circles and it can certainly be said about music. Jazz is the backbone for what so many other genres stand upon. This quote's meaning is not lost on electronica, because today you can find many artists expanding the sound of Miles, Hancock, or Fitzgerald. On Jazz Lounge 3, Water Music has compiled the next volume in this series with enough artists to fill a two-disc set that demonstrates the influence of jazz in each artist's sound.

1. Tape Five "Swingfood Mood"
2. Os Morcegos "Mon Entourage"
3. Ursula 1000 "Boop"
4. Pumali Panthers "In Style and Rhythm"
5. De-Phazz "Nameless Life (RaPoetry)"
6. Jazzistic "Mind the Gap"
7. Jet Set Swe "The Man From THRUSH"
8. Thievery Corporation "A Gentle Dissolve (Shawn Lee Ping Pong Orchestra remix)"
9. Jimmy Sommers "Vertical (feat. Paul Oakenfold)"
10. Electrobossa "Sozinho"
11. Panaphonic vs. Guanavana "Sunrise Light"
12. Naoki Kenji "Kix Departure"
13. La Tienda "Papua-St. Tropez"
14. La Taverne du Lac "Magic Single Barrel (Mo' Horizons restyle)"
15. Batterie Du Verre "Jitterbug"
16. Peter Daou "Seventh Space"
17. Org Lounge "Amon Dur (feat. Sister Tone)"
18. South Froggies "Derriere Moi"
19. Paris Jazz Big Band "Place Pigalle"
20. Forro in the Dark "Forrowest"
21. Tape Five "Cocktail d'Amour (sex on the beach remix)"
22. Edson X "Berimbau"
23. Vanessa Daou "Passed"
24. Lemongrass "This Way"

Water Music Records has an extensive catalog of compilations, and their lounge, downtempo, chillout section is like an avocado tree ready for the picking and their fruit stays ripe. Creations like Café Del Sol and Café Ibiza are timeless works of great downtempo music that are sure to make a patron out of each listener. For Jazz Lounge 3, the selection of artists includes numerous styles from bossa to nujazz that are sure to delight your aural taste buds.

Electronic music fans will find solace on Jazz Lounge 3 with the contributions of Lemongrass, Org Lounge, Naoki Kenji, Thievery Corporation, Ursula 1000, and De-Phazz. But, if the listener has an appreciation for a wider field, you will be rewarded with what Jazz Lounge 3 has to offer.

Electrobossa's "Sozinho" is a soft and sexy track with its light percussion and relaxing guitar work painted against the backdrop of some airy synths. Tape 5 makes a double contribution with deep, lounge vocals on the upbeat "Swingfood Mood" and the digable, sultry "Cocktail D'Amour." Other artists contribute a wordly sound like La Taverne Du Lac and Forro in the Dark with their use of regional sounding instruments. But, some artists like Paris Jazz Big Band can stretch the limitations of the listeners' ear on this compilation with a style of jazz that steps off the map and ignores all the directions.

Jazz Lounge 3 does a decent job at showcasing sounds from across the globe. It is a display of some original music that documents how artists are reinventing jazz. Sometimes it may not be everything to know where you came from. Maybe it's equally important to know where you're going.

~ Chris Lindsey (http://www.slacklineradio.com)

Add a Comment