A couple of years ago, the rising stars of the British jazz scene were tasked with re-recording some of the finest work Blue Note had to offer. Two years on there are more hot new jazz things shining new light through old windows.
Artists like Daniel Casimir, Binker Golding and Nubiyan Twist cover the life out of tracks made famous by Donald Byrd, Chick Corea and Thelonious Monk. Not au fait with those old jazz geezers? There are also a couple of Norah Jones covers too.
I loved the original Re:Imagined record, discovering new, exciting acts and new (to me) jazz classics. This is very much more of the same.
Some songs are subtle reworks like Maya Delilah’s beautiful version of ‘Harvest Moon’ by Neil Young (recorded by Cassandra Wilson on her 1995 Blue Note debut), others, like Theon Cross’ angry tuba version of Monk’s ‘Epistrophy’ take the original track and pummel it into something new and exciting. I’m enjoying both approaches to be fair.
This is the blue vinyl version, bought direct from Blue Note. I think it is still available from their site, or you can pick it up on clear vinyl from Rough Trade if that butters your parsnip.
Tracks To Try: ‘You Make Me Feel So Good’ by Connor Albert, ‘Through The Noise (Chant No. 2)’ by Nubiyan Twist, ‘Lost’ by Daniel Casimir feat Ria Moran, ‘Epistophy’ by Theon Cross, ‘Where Are We Going’ by Venna & Marco Bernardis, ‘Cristo Redento’ by Franc Moody.