Please note this is an old page and Fly Global Music has now moved. Please follow this link and search for the entry in the new site.

After the Chance EP, the Cobblestone Jazz crew release their ‘difficult’ second album, The Modern Deep Left Quartet. Opening up with ‘Chance Dub’ (which sounds even deeper, dreamier and better here than on the EP) there’s six other brand new tracks for us to salivate over before Mathew Jonson, Danuel Tate, Tyger Dhula and Colin de la Plante reach these shores for some live gigs next month.

Some folks have suggested that The Modern Deep Left Quartet isn’t as jazzy as their 2007’s debut 23 Seconds but I think that sort of comment is missing the point (and the track ‘Chance’). It’s not how much jazz you can get on a techno album or how much techno you can get on a jazz album; it’s all about the vibe. And the vibe is hot as the band wagon (repair) has been picked up by now less that Christian Prommer and Veryverywrongindeed just to mention a mere two.

‘Chance Dub’ slips nicely onto a soft Herbie Hancock-esque vocoder track with fast shuffle keys (circa mid-70s brought up to tech-house-to-date) on ‘Sun Child’ (might have to dig out some old Herbie).

The next one, ‘Mr. Polite’ keeps up the updated-warp of 70s disco-jazz twist as initiated by Hancock and the like. If you like your house modern, deep and leftfield this is the album for you without a doubt.

By the time we get to ‘Cromagnon Man’, I concede we’re off in a New Order vs. Kraftwerk dance as nu-jazz Fender Rhodes is replaced with deep bouncing synths. And ‘Fiesta’ is the jazz-funker that you might have expected from 23 Seconds as its Cobblestone acid-jazz (not as far as Ceephax Acid Crew of course but it’s another groove to their beat).

The two other tracks we haven’t heard before, ‘Children’ is a bit lame in comparison to the incredible ‘Midnight Sun’ that’s their Midnight Sun Ra meets Madlb vs. Herbie moment: Jerry ‘Space Is The Place’ Dammers is going to weep when hears this - why aint’ Peterson played this one yet? Killer with a capital ‘K’obblestone - the Hectic remix is coming soon that’ll destroy the original but you get the idea.

Compared to the usual high standard cover artwork on Wagon Repair, this one is a bit of a disappointment but you can’t have everything. This album is great as it is but the live set must be even better - even more determined to see you at Fabric now (well not now exactly, 24th April - see below tour dates).

This is a fantastic album and it’s progression from the first (that I know some folks didn’t take to anyway)

Hectic mix nominations: ‘Midnight Sun’, ‘Mr. Polite’, ‘Sun Child’, ‘Chance’, ‘Chance Dub’, ‘Cromagnon Man’, ‘Fiesta’

Forthcoming Gigs:
10.04.10 Mathew Jonson @ Loft, Neuss
17.04.10 Mathew Jonson @ Disco Palace, Treviso
23.04.10 Cobblestone Jazz @ Rex, Paris
24.04.10 Cobblestone Jazz @ Fabric, London
29.04.10 Mathew Jonson @ Club Tilt @ Popcentre 013, Tilburg
30.04.10 Cobblestone Jazz @ Jam, Turin
01.05.10 The Modern Deep Left Quartet @ Alte Börse, Zürich

Reviewed: Cobblestone Jazz - The Modern Deep Left Quartet (!K7) Cat. No: !K7258CD Release date: 8th March 2010
Tracklisting:
Chance Dub (7:42)
Sun Child (7:40)
Mr. Polite (7:01)
Cromagnon Man (5:03)
Fiesta (5:52)
Children (6:09)
Chance (7:59)
Midnight Sum (6:26)

Links:
www.myspace.com/cobblestonejazzmathewjonson
wagonrepair.ca
www.k7.com