May 24, 2005 @ 9:42 am

Various Artists - Verve Remixed, Vol 3

Emale Gray

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When one listens to Verve Remixed, Vol 3, the first thing that pops to mind is "21st century jazz." That is exactly what producers Dahlia Ambach Caplin and Todd C. Roberts were hoping for. With this latest installment of jazz remixes, producers are put to the test with classic jazz tunes that transcend even those from their previous volumes. That said, the hand-picked artists selected to mix these songs have one serious task to accomplish. Surprisingly, little injustice is done to these jazz classics. The worst tracks on this CD are, for the main part, mediocre. In "Speak Low," Bent trades Billie Holiday's gentle groove for a distorted lullaby, which undoubtedly knights that the worst track on the CD. Following that substandard production is another of Billie Holiday's tunes "Yesterdays," which features the Junior Boys sending her immortal tune to an early grave. Besides those two crap-tastic efforts, the album shines full of passion and fervor from this point on. Christmas cheer is shoved into listeners' ears as Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue" is dramatically tweaked to fit the Postal Service's stimulating drive. "Come Dance With Me" retains much of its jazzy features while adding an extra Latin jive with a developing retro/funk environment. "Just One of Those Things" emits hyperactive techno rays through space and time, and RJD2's production of "The Gentle Rain" gives Astrud Gilberto's masterpiece a fresh hip hop vibe. "Peter Gunn" has never been more striking than in this revamp provided by Max Sedgley. In addition, "Stay Loose's" funky R&B is skillfully compromised for an exhilarating punk/brassy determination that couldn't have been accomplished by anyone other than Lyrics Born. Perhaps the most inspirational track on The Verve's third remixed effort is the Album Leaf's take on the Nina Simone favorite "Lilac Wine" in which they switch gears and give the song a hopeful outlook as well as a general video game theme sound, making the listener feel exploratory yet strangely settled. The Verve Remixed, Vol 3 is a hit-or-miss for listeners. Some songs are dance hits from the get go; others are slow and artistic, and then there are the few and far between flops. In any case, this CD has something for listeners of various musical preferences and is worth some well-deserved recognition.

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