Founded by Meghan Stabile, Revive Music is a vision of mixing a wide ranging of modern and classic sounds palatable to both jazz and urban R&B ears. This collection includes an impressive roster of Jeff “Tain” Watts, Chris Potter, Jaleel Shaw, Marcus Strickland and Jaleel Shaw among others, with material ranging form samples of Wayne Shorter and Lee Morgan to Janet Jackson.
Bookended by intros and closings from Raydar Ellis, there is music that has angelic and hip harp stummings by Brandee Younger on “Dorothy Jeanne” and “I For M DJ” along with floating flute by Anne Drummond. Spacey late 70s funk with soft grooves is felt on “All Aboard” and “Let’s Wait Awhile” while Marcus Strickland’s tenor sounds rich and urgent on “Trane Thang/Pinocchio.” Potter’s tenor and Nadia Washington’s vocals mix with Watts’ drums on “Celebration of Life Suite: Awareness & Revolution” and “The Council of Goldfinger” Choir replaces Washington on a bluesy “Awakening.” Through most of the pieces, there is a bit of hip hop drumming, but with a hint of bop that will satisfy modern and trad ears. You can sense the importance of the music here; it’s something not glibly concocted and deserves a few listens.
Blue Note Records