Madlib - Shades of Blue

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf900/f938/f93899crhvi.jpg

Anybody else heard this? It seems there hasn't been a lot written about it. Basically, hip hop producer Madlib (you may also know him as Quasimoto) was given the keys to Blue Note's vault of jazz recordings. The idea was to create a sort of collage/hiphopped mix similar to that reggae one he put out several years ago.

I had previously heard samples of it on an online stream but I just listened to it all the way through this morning. I can't say I'm all that impressed. There's some cool stuff but everything is too short and nothing ever really gets fully explored. It's feels more like fucking around than anything really purposeful. (But isn't that all jazz, the rockists ask?) There's also way too many punchy little voice tracks thrown in.

It's an easy listening and a bit of a novelty but not much more. The only song that I would call a real success is "Steppin Into Tomorrow." Not coincidentally, it's the longest track on the album. It also uses some drum samples (shit, I guess they could be "real" drums too, I don't know if he overdubbed any studio work) instead of just throwing whatever beat over some nice jazz melody like a lot of the shorter tracks.

What do you think?

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Friday, 18 July 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

For a good portion of this album Madlib was given authorization to make some new beats and tracks using the original recordings. As a producer he took more of a compositional and organizational role laying down new ideas using existing sounds and tones from the tapes.

If you purchased the cd instead of downloading it you can see the titles marked by asterisk on the track-list are remixed from original recordings. All other tracks are 'reinterpretations' of Blue Note classics (a la Yesterday's New Quintet) using a small combo of musicians with Otis Jackson, Jr (aka Madlib), sitting in on drums for some songs.

If you have ever dabbled in hip hop production or live music this album is an interesting idea done tastefully, though many jazz purists immediately discredit hip hop on a jazz label.

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Friday, 18 July 2003 18:37 (twenty-two years ago)

That's interesting, I didn't know he rerecorded so much. I wonder why they didn't jam on stuff more if that was the set up. There are so many 2-3 minute tracks on this thing that just don't develop.

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Friday, 18 July 2003 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

the only madlib stuff i really like is Lootpack

― chaki (chaki), Friday, 18 July 2003 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Check out these interviews with Madlib from the Stones Throw website. It offers some insight into his approach to production and removes some of the mystery behind the process.

I have a little brother who really likes Madlib's work and he turned me onto his style. Granted nobody can come with tight projects all the time, but Madlib has done a pretty good job of turning some of hip hop's big hitters into believers while being a resident of Ventura (previously off the Hip Hop map)

http://www.stonesthrow.com/madlib/xlr8r-sum03.html

http://www.stonesthrow.com/madlib/redbullmusicacademy.html

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Friday, 18 July 2003 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

It's feels more like fucking around than anything really purposeful.

This was the problem I had w/his Yesterday's New Quintet album. Sounded like someone just bought a bunch of instuments and just plucked a couple of notes that didn't sound too out of place over some beats. Actually, Madlib's admitted that's basically what it was.

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 19 July 2003 03:44 (twenty-two years ago)

it's better than YNQ (which fucking blew). basically he's becoming as big a squanderer of his own talent as, I dunno, Dan the Automator, except 'Lib is more talented. in short, another Quasimoto album NOW please.

― M Matos (M Matos), Saturday, 19 July 2003 03:50 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.