Absolute class. Outfoxing the likes of nouveau jazz sirens like Amy Winehouse, the Poistal Service’s remix of Nina Simone’s lyrical and melancholy ‘Little Girl Blue’ provides a rich, spiritual and dazzling introduction to what amounts to a very, very fine remix album indeed. With a melody lifted from the traditional Christmas carol ‘Good King Wenceslas’, some bubbling beats and an android groove producer Jimmy Tamborello prepares the way for a bakers half-dozen or so tracks of unexpected turns and surprises.
Since its debut in 2002, Verve Remixed has paired some of the world’s most adventurous DJs and producers with some of the best jazz music in history. Culling the esteemed catalogue of Verve Records and tapping into the creative visions of an influential generation of beat-makers, Verve Remixed 3 continues the series’ mission of shaping jazz into vital contemporary music. And it rarely fails, let me assure you.
Bent’s languid Latin take on Billie Holiday’s ‘Speak Low’ oozes a lush sophistication that few could have handled this sensitively. The orchestration is warm, the percussion eloquent and the bass almost drips with moist, pearly dewdrop drops. Elsewhere dance-guru, Adam Freeland beefs up Sarah Vaughn’s oft-repeated ‘Fever’ with a sirloin of fat beats and Tom Findlay of Groove Armada transforms Shirley Horn’s ‘Come Dance With Me’ into a frisky and coquettish house number.
Too broad to summarise. Too good to miss. And as bright as a bagful of rainbows.