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Various: The Very Best of This Is Acid Jazz: A 10 Year Celebration

By AAJ Staff
December 1, 2001
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Various: The Very Best of This Is Acid Jazz: A 10 Year Celebration

This double CD collection charts the growth and mutation of a genre that has little acid-ic about it, and whose links to jazz are usually by way of funk. The first disc, covering the years 1991-1996 has a distinctly more upbeat tone and features funky jam sessions that channel the energy of the peak of the acid jazz movement. Tracks from Little Big Bee and the Hip Joints are cheerful reminders of the kind of funk that Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai distilled into bite-sized pop hits.

While the first CD bears the imprint of the house music of the time on tracks by Mitch Moses’ Acid Blues Project and Swing Machine, the second (covering the years 1997-2001) is more influenced by drum & bass. "Dazzle" by The Chris Bangs Project and "Vibe Merchant" from James Hardaway showcase a blissful fusion of jazz and kinetic breakbeats. The mood of the more recent selections tends towards a more atmospheric vibe, with more textured sounds, sometimes straying into a downtempo flavor as demonstrated by Mr. Electric Triangle and Jimpster. Anyone who has had more than a passing interest in acid jazz over the years will find everything they need on this expansive compilation.

Courtesy of BPM Magazine/ DJMixed.com

Album information

Title: The Very Best of This Is Acid Jazz: A 10 Year Celebration | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Instinct Records

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