Roy Shakked
Jazzelicious Presents
Kriztal
Acid jazz and chillout were just two good ideas in the past 10 years that turned out oh-so-bad. When Tribe heralded the beginning of the former with Low End Theory, some of us thought that a brave new world of jazz and hip-hop fusion had opened before us. Mostly, we got milquetoast jazz fusion. And chillout, that land of “chilled beats” ended up being a frozen tundra of sleep-inducing quasi-New Age nausea.
The beauty of what Roy Shakked (the man who brought us The Tao of Groove) does here is combine those two dying genres and breathe fresh life into them. As producer and compiler, Shakked gives us an invigorating chill CD that does not put you to sleep. He combines electronic and live instrumentation beautifully, and has crafted many a fine song whether with/as Jazzelicious, Maya F.S., Groove Matter, et al.
This disc starts off with the intriguing Brazilian-tinged electro salsa, “Bossa No. 5,” and keeps getting better. “Just Like This” is a fine groove worthy of a Jazzanova remix. “I Remember” is reminiscent of Lina’s neo-ragtime soul. It’s almost impossible to not be infected by the chunky funk groove of “Cali4nia.” “Don’t Break It” has a grit seldom heard in the smooth jazz flavors of most acid jazz, and “Beach Day” is a post-coital Brazilian dream.
Through the rubble of acid jazz and chillout, Shakked has excavated a sound that is pleasantly intriguing. Definitely not soulful house and not quite nu jazz, he has proven that there’s still ore to mine in those long thought dead shafts.
Kriztal Entertainment: http://www.kriztal.com/
