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Various: The Philadelphia Experiment Remixed

By AAJ Staff
August 1, 2002
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Various: The Philadelphia Experiment Remixed

The original Philadelphia Experiment was the result of a virtually impromptu three day long jam session involving the supremely talented Christian McBride (bass), Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (drums, also from the Roots), Uri Caine (keyboards) and Pat Martino (guitar). It turned out to be one of 2001's best-selling jazz records. The remix project is presided over by fellow Philly talent, King Britt, who brings to the table a host of forward thinking producers to reinvent the jazz for an electronic audience. The result is masterful and, as you’d expect requires no knowledge of the original to be enjoyable.

The improvisational energy of the original tracks is preserved, and the jazz inflections carried over onto the remix collection. Broken beat and nu-jazz are the genres of the day. Charlie Dark, from Attica blues, gives the title track a fractured bed of energy over which some of the original melodies find new life. Local soul-powered pimp-daddy Vikter Duplaix, lays into "Grover" with a satisfying gusto, crafting a visceral broken beat that allows the numerous layers of jazz and futuristic funk to breathe and interplay. "Grover III" is an original track that sees ?uestlove and fellow Soulquarian James Poyser masquerading as the Randy Watson Experience. This is one remix project that is completely successful in adding a new dimension to its original blueprint retaining the spirit while manifesting it in a different form.

Personnel

Various

Album information

Title: The Philadelphia Experiment Remixed | Year Released: 2002

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