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I’m making no excuses for being a bit late with this one (although I should really) as when I briefly meet Gilles Peterson this week (at the fantastic launch of Emanative’s Time with full live band, see HERE), it suddenly struck me that he’s not been playing any tracks from the album on is radio show by 長 (Shacho), タブ ゾンビ (Tabu Zombie), 元晴 (Motoharu), 丈青 (Josei), 秋田ゴー ルドマン (Akita Goldman), みどりん (Midorin) who are collectively known as Soil & “Pimp” Sessions; and 6 is released on Peterson’s own Brownswood Recordings label!

Well, I concede his shows have been of a consistantantly high quality this year, but that’s even more reason to play tracks off the album as the Japanese jazz band specializing in live performances arguably have now captured their live sound on the album. And they’ve without doubt kicked into touch any mutterings that “they can’t play jazz” that initially came to lame journalists minds when they first broke through (& Jap Death Jazz was born).

This was only 3 years ago with the release of the “amphetamine jazz dazzler” Pimp Master, followed by Pimpoint from 2007 and then Planet Pimp (also check out J.A.M’s Just A Maestro).

And whilst they’ve worked with other DJs and guest vocalists in the past, this album has a couple (more) surprises in store. Starting off with the opener, like one over the eight (but in this case 6), Seven - a Intro Sound Collage by DJ Kentaro. The DMC winner and Ninja Tune favourite kicks the album off with exactly what the title says, an introductory sound collage of what’s to come (so much better having this at the start than an after thought ‘bonus track’).

The meat of the album is dominated by thier own 100mph jazz dancer tracks like ‘Keizoku’, Double Trouble’, Pop Korn’ and ‘Quartz And Chronometer’ which is what we love (and crave) about this band.

But then there’s some surprises like the ‘live’ Latin-jazz skat sound of ‘Pariso’ that has the Music For Jazz Dancers heritage in its viens. Then there’s two versions of the slower paced ‘My Foolish Heart (Crazy On Earth)’, an insturmental and a vocal version featuring the distinctive vocals of Ringo Sheena (it’s a bit of a grower this one).

Not only that there are two cover versions on the album. One very obvious, Pigbag’s classic ‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag’ (definitely the original post-punk jazz hit when everyting was Bustin’ Out and as an aside, when I played this won at Jazz Chronicles last month, I was told S&”P”S were fantastic at Peterson’s Worldwide Festival in Sete last year).

And talking of punks, leading UK jazz upstart pianist/singer Jamie Cullum (OK not punk as we know) joins them to cover the club jazz classic and Peterson favourite, ‘Stolen Moments’ originally by Mark Murphy and written by Oliver Nelson.

The album ends with another ‘twist’, the Psych-jazz-trash of ‘Satsuriku To Heiwa’ that’s yet another grower.

So, as I said, 6 is their best album yet and I’ll keep saying it until the next album comes out but I can’t say I’m sure about the cover.

Reviews: Soil & “Pimp” Sessions - 6 (Brownswood Recordings) Cat. No: BWOOD44CD
Released: 24th April 2010
Tracklisting:
1 Seven (Intro Sound Collage by DJ Kentaro) (2:59)
2 Keizoku (2:59)
3 Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag (6:09)
4 My Foolish Heart (Crazy On Earth) (4:31)
5 Double Trouble (1:14)
6 Pop Korn (4:05)
7 Quartz And Chronometer (5:25)
8 Paraiso (3:48)
9 My Foolish Heart (Crazy On Earth) featuring Ringo Sheena x 椎名林檎 (4:22)
10 Mirror Boy (6:09)
11 Stolen Moments featuring Jamie Cullum (7:29)
12 After The Party (4:19)
13 Satsuriku To Heiwa (殺戮と平和) (4:42)

Links:
www.myspace.com/soilpimpuk
www.myspace.com/jampianotrio
djkentaro.com
www.brownswoodrecordings.com
www.myspace.com/brownswoodrecordings
1st May 2010 - Simon S, Martin Gordon & Gerry Hectic : Jazz Chronicles @ Sixty Million Postcards, Bournemouth 3 to 8pm www.sixtymillionpostcards.com - first Saturday on the month, check website for further details.