Erik Truffaz: Revisit

Acid jazz makes a fine soundtrack. It's also suitable for dance clubs and for just hanging out. What makes Truffaz's remix album out of the ordinary is its close affinity to the later music of Miles Davis and the way his session has been altered to emphasize its "world jazz" nature. Native music from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Australia appear side by side in a jazz context. The human voice assumes a percussive role, while harmony comes from many directions. The quartet's music is blurred, but not altogether ignored. A repetitive "hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop" spoken loop announces new directions. Ancient choral assemblies weave their messages around natural-sounding drum effects and lyrical synth melodies. Native drums, ethnic percussion and handmade wind instruments combine their voices with electric guitar and keyboard — two contemporary instruments that have made their way around the world.

At times, this remix album takes on a "Don't Worry, Be Happy" rhythmic mood. The music from Erik Truffaz's quartet, however, is strong enough to survive the predictability. Experimentation will lead jazz in many directions. We've got to try them out before we'll know which ones work best.

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