Shades of Blue

Madlib – Shades of Blue
Hip Hop influenced Soul/Fusion Jazz remixes and covers. People seem to be divided about Madlib (Stones Throw records, Lootpack, Quasimoto, Yesterday's New Quintet). Some think he's a genius, a hip hop producer with a profound insight into jazz and other sample sources. Other people think that he just makes a bunch of boring jazzy crap. That said, if you love Madlib, you'll dig this collection—it's basically Madlib doin' his thing with free reign over the Blue Note catalog. Actually, Madlib's original compilation ("Funky Blue Note", track 8) is one of the best things on here. In all recommended, although it might offend hip hop or jazz purists.
1) Spoken Intro
2) Medium tempo groove with vibes, turntablism
3) Flowing, lounge-y spiced up with harder drums
4) **Handclaps and party sounds make Mystic Brew really swing
5) *Harder drum break, almost discordant salad of flute and Fender Rhodes.
6) Spoken documentary history of Blue Note
7) *Crunchy Mizel brothers fusion beat, with Medaphor supplying vocals.
8) **Up-tempo, heavy drums
9) More spoken documentary
10) *Flowing Mizel style fusion, female vocals
11) Skit with spoken intro
12) *Soulful with some old school hip-hop samples
13) *Bouncy Horace Silver classic featuring flute, spoken outro
14) Dammit! When will people stop putting Simple Text on records. Boooooo! Other then that, sort of a spacey Latin flavored jam
15) Starting to get pretty jam-y here
Tom Purcell, June 2003