Hardly surprising with a guest list of notable musicians that have been cropping up on Fly reviews over the past few months, such as Rasiyah (Return Of The Rogue), Nathan Haines (BKS in Amsterdam), Roger Beaujolais (Budapest Chachacha) and Davide Giovannini (as featured on Jazztronik’s brilliant Latin jazz EP, ‘Cannibal Rock’) and Ingrid ‘Forensic’ Laubrock!

So quality musicians in the line up and they’ve all got jazz in their veins and Brazil in their hearts. This gives a quality album over the two LPs.

The instrumental ‘Yo Yo Jazz’ gets the band cookin’ and, of the vocal tracks, Rasiyah on ‘Sweet Y Sour’ sounds very Bugz in a funky samba type way; love the percussion, horns and synth on this one. Similarly, ‘Smile In Your Eyes’ is another summer samba that sounds a bit Vikter Duplaix with two great flute solos from Mr. Haines.

Not so keen on ‘Dancin’ Nights’ as it seems too samba old skool but great to hear Xantonè Blacq again. He’s also on old and tired ‘My Favourite Things’ but that’s outweighed by the good news Mr. Blacq is back in the studio and there are rumours of a solo album to come. To be fair, it’s not that ‘old and tired’ but a good ‘straight’ piano-jazz version of ‘My Favourite Things’. It’s just I’ve never liked the lyrics.

Now, Hectic readers will know we like jazzdance and on this album there is a huge HOT track with one of our all-time favourites, the ever-youthful new vibe of Roger Beaujolais sounding as good as any Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note session with a great band behind him. ‘Summer Fields’ is on a level 5 Heatwave alert and worth the album on its own. But for more sirens, ‘Spiritual Waltz’ is a jazz-workout that’s regressed into modern Nicola Conte al mode.

The one that tops the lot is ‘Batucada Mondiale’ with a great performance Barak Schmool on percussion.

A great follow up to Arriving Soon on the music side even if the cover isn’t too good.

Reviewed: Big Bang - Way In Jazz (Arision) Catalog#: ARI 022 2xLP Released: July 2006
Tracklisting:
A1. Dancin’ Nights Feat. Xantonè Blacq , Jessica Lauren
A2. My Favourite Things Feat. Xantonè Blacq Keyboard - Neil Angilley Written By Rodgers & Hammerstein
B1. Yo Yo Jazz
B2. Sweet Y Sour
C1. Batucada Mondiale
C2. The Smile In Your Eyes feat. vocals - Alexander
D1. Summer Fields
D2. Spiral Waltz

Links
www.arision.net
www.myspace.com/rasiyah
www.rogerbeaujolais.com
www.myspace.com/nathanhaines