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Showing posts from May, 2008

Ann Peebles "Tellin' It"

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On my other blog , I’ve made repeated comments about the fact that I enjoy soul music. This right here is the epitome of that. Ann Peebles sings, and when she wants to she can hit the notes few can, but for the most part here she is workin’ with the musicians to create the best overall track – and it works beautifully. With a rhythm and horn section comprised of some of the best session musicians Memphis had to offer and Willie Mitchell behind the production board this album is almost guaranteed to yield something amazing, and deliver they do. From the start of the album Peebles shows amazing chemistry working with the groove perfectly, never overpowering the music, but rather complimenting it. Her voice is often laid back and focused, but the ballads are here as well showing off her vocal range with excellent precision. She hits the high notes and it almost magically fades into the melody of the song, without ever feeling forced or for that matter even tried, smooth would be the perfe

Ahmad Jamal "At The Top: Poinciana Revisited"

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The first time I heard Ahmad Jamal I didn’t know I was listening to him. Thanks to the Soul Brother Pete Rock I was first privy to the sounds comin’ from Jamal’s piano thanks to “The World is Yours” from Nas’ first classic, Illmatic . As I learned about samples and started diggin in the crates I began to see this piano player pop up regularly. They were cheap and I copped one. It was cool, nothin’ spectacular, no Pete Rock sample, but I new I would find it one day! In that time I have since picked up a few more Jamal LP’s (five to be exact) and the one thing to know about this man is when he is on, it’s some of the best Jazz one could listen to! At The Top: Poinciana Revisited is a perfect demonstration of why he deserves more respect and listening time from music fans all over the world. What has always inspired me in Jazz is the musician’s use of his instrument in combination with silence. The piano is one of the best ways to express this. Jamal will play and play and then disappear

50 Cent "Power of the Dollar"

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Well, well... I'm back at it again. But if you haven't taken the clue the mixes have been suspended. I'm searching my crates discovering more tracks to bless y'all with but until then I'm gonna give up albums from my collection. First up is 50 Cent and his 2000 release " Power of the Dollar ." Shouts to my boy Swerve for hookin this one up! While 50 has come a long way since this dropped it has a couple tracks worth checkin for. Opening with the Destiny's Child (back when it was the original 4!) assisted "Thug Love" it's pretty standard radio fare for the time. DJ Scratch hooks up the next track, "I'm A Hustler," and it's def the sleeper on the record with a classic boom bap styled banger for 50 to spit his street narratives over, add to it a nicely chopped and cut up Jadakiss vocal sample for the chourus and you have some grimey New York Shit! On the flip Noreaga gets up with Fif on the Erick Sermon produced &qu