Jazz Is Dead 001

by Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge

Overview

An outgrowth of their like-named events at Los Angeles' Lodge Room, the Jazz Is Dead series from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad begins with this all-originals showcase for some of the inspirational African-American and Brazilian artists with whom the musician/producers have recorded at the former's neighboring studio. Back in 1989, Muhammad's A Tribe Called Quest debuted with a single ("Description of a Fool") sampling a Roy Ayers Ubiquity classic ("Running Away"), so it's appropriate that this set leads with an Ayers collaboration, the slinking "Hey Lover." The saxophone of Gary Bartz, another unforgettable Tribe source ("Butter" was churned with "Gentle Smiles"), glides and flutters through the whirlwind "Distant Mode," the next number. In those songs and what follows, Younge and Muhammad ably modify their signature sound, rooted in late-'60s and early-'70s modes, to suit and spotlight their guests, all of whom released foundational works during the same period. The inextricably linked Azymuth and Marcos Valle are separately featured on consecutive tracks that play to their strengths, though "Apocaliptico" grooves a little harder and nastier than usual for the trio, while "Nao Saia Da Praca" is as delightful as anything off Valle's 2020 album Cinzento. Another sequence toward the middle involves keyboardists heard respectively on acoustic piano, electric piano, and organ, Gil Scott-Heron partner Brian Jackson (presumably also on flute), bossa nova innovator Joao Donato, and soul-jazz leader Doug Carn (whose presence is the biggest surprise). Younge and Muhammad end with a meta title song that, with its group vocal, sounds like it could be the resuscitation of an abandoned Ayers project. Even if Jazz Is Dead ended here, the concept would be a triumph. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	10/08/2021
Label:	JAZZ IS DEAD
UPC:	0686162825998

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ali Shaheed Muhammad   Primary Artist,Drums,Flute,Marimba,Clarinet,Percussion,Sax (Alto),Vibraphone,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes,Piano (Grand),Bass (Electric),Sax (Sopranino),Guitar (Electric),Electro-Acoustic Piano
Adrian Younge   Primary Artist,Drums,Flute,Marimba,Clarinet,Percussion,Sax (Alto),Vibraphone,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes,Piano (Grand),Bass (Electric),Sax (Sopranino),Guitar (Electric),Electro-Acoustic Piano
Marcos Valle   Primary Artist,Fender Rhodes
Azymuth   Drums,Percussion,Featured Artist
Joao Donato   Fender Rhodes,Featured Artist
Doug Carn   Featured Artist
Roy Ayers   Featured Artist
Brian Jackson   Flute (Alto),Featured Artist
Alex Malheiros   Fuzz Guitar,Bass (Electric)
Gary Bartz   Sax (Alto),Featured Artist
Joi Gilliam   Vocals
Kiko Continentino   Clavinet,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes
Anitra Castleberry   Vocals
Loren Oden   Vocals
Saudia Yasmein   Vocals
Shai Golan   Sax (Alto)
The Midnight Hour   Featured Artist
Greg Paul   Drums
Zach Ramacier   Trumpet
Elgin Clark   Vocals
Malachi Morehead   Drums

Technical Credits

Azymuth   Composer
Joao Donato   Composer
Doug Carn   Composer
Roy Ayers   Composer
Ali Shaheed Muhammad   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Andrew Lojero   Executive Producer
Brian Jackson   Composer
Dave Cooley   Mastering
Gary Bartz   Composer
Marcos Valle   Composer
Adam Block   Associate Producer
Adrian Younge   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Julian Montague   Graphic Design
Anitra Castleberry   Composer
Elgin Clark   Composer