The mixing of modern jazz with “world” music like reggae and Afro funk has been a boon for both genres. Here are a few more recent releases
Jacob Bain sings, writes plays guitar and the optigan on this collection of tunes that mixes African soul, hip hop, rap and calypso without skipping a beat. Femil Kuti brings his alto sax and voice on a Afro-funky title track, while the punctuated horns on “Swing 1” will get you into a dance mood in seconds flat. Bain’s earthy and urgent voice focuses mostly on socio-political issues, but it’s all accessible with the R&B groove on ”When it Comes” or on the Middle Eastern sound on the hip hopping “The Wall” which includes Eyvind Kang’s violins. Radioactive adds vocals on a rappish “Talking and Taking” that includes cooking horns, and Matt Chamberlain sits behind the traps on most of the percussive pieces. Supercharged and urban.
The Green is made up of Idaika Antone/v-key, JP Kennedy/v-g, Caleb Keqlanui/v Zion Thompson/v-g, Brad Watanabe/b-key-dr-horns, and Jordan Espinoza/dr. Together, they contribute intriguing choral harmonies and vocals on this reggae-soaked collection of material. Most of the tunes have the classic Jamaican lilt, but each one starts with an intriguing intro, be it electric (“Even Before”), synthesizer (“Chocolates & Roses”), guitar (“Good Vibe Killah”) or simple piano (“Hold Me Tight”). The infectious calypso, horns and modern R&B feel of pieces such as “Something About It” and “Striking Up A Love” mix fantastically with the well textured vocals. A real charmer.
Sometimes, reggae can seem like a Tuna Fish Sandwich. How do you know if one is really good or really bad? This one by the band 10 ft. Ganja Plant gives a 70s vibe to the Jamaican genre, with singers Jay Champany and Kevin Kinsella sounding hauntingly like Bob Marley. The riffs include thick guitar chords with cameos by harmonicas and saxes, and the energy never ceases for the ten tunes. Definitely a party disc, but what reggae disc isn’t?
Roir Records