Authentic Vintage is a suitable title for the first solo album from Jern Eye on NatAural High Records. He’s an MC with Oakland’s Lunar Heights crew as ‘Small Axe’. Together with MC Sizwe (Spear Of The Nation) and MC/DJ Khai (C-Lo Cigarillo), they have been around the bay area for over 10 years, sharing stages with KRS-1, Blackalicious, Dilated Peoples and many more.

The ‘Heightsmen’ are strongly influenced by reggae but there’s not much evidence of that here as Jern Eye and his producer mates: Phil Jahns (aka Doc Phil), DJ Vinroc, D’Nae and Nick Andre, move b-culture onto the next hip hip phase; see ‘Skate’ (Daedelus was filling me in on this ‘the latest thing’ last week, not that a South Coast boy can comprehend such things).

The ‘Intro’ is particularly promising with big cinematic blaxploitation strings until the plug is pulled and ‘Power Animal’ gets you into the hip hip bounce.

There’s some big strings on ‘What They Say’ and some good lines but fans of the UD will go for ‘Whoa!’ (see Bang For The Buck).

‘You’ is closer to the European Stereotype meets Al’Haca style, which is a particular Hectic favourite along with the ‘big’ sound of the title track, the jazzy keys of ‘Combat’ and the breaks congas of ‘Copacetic’ (with jazzy flute!). So there’s enough there to keep me happy.

Other names that feature are Noelle Scaggs (of Gilles’ favourite ‘This Journey In’ by The Rebirth) on ‘Insight’ (which is probably the most commercial track) and Jrod Indigo/Lunar Heights’ ‘Just Enough’, with some DJ Icewater scratchin’.

The bonus track, ‘Best Bar’ is included on the compilation by DJ Icewater, Develop[Mental]1 (also on NatAural High Records) and well worth checking out on the website below.

There is going to be a Jern Eye Tour to promote the CD, ‘Three The Hard Way’ with Opio (Heiroglyphics) and Scarub (Living Legends) starting on 30th June at Club Six in San Francisco and continuing through July.

Sounds good. Big up the Bay area.

Hectic Mix nomination: ‘Intro’, ‘Combat’ and ‘Copacetic’

Reviewed: Jern Eye - Authentic Vintage (NatAural High Records) Release Date: Summer 2006
Credits: Producer - Jern Eye (tracks: 1, 3 to 6, 8, 10 to 15) Co-producer - Phil Jahns (tracks: 3, 5, 10, 13)
Tracklisting:
1. Intro (0:50)
2. Power Animal (3:09) Producer - Nick Andre
3. Free Agent (4:01)
4. What They Say (3:58)
5. Whoa! (3:10)
6. Insight (3:57) Vocals - Noelle
7. You! (Mojo Mix) (3:46) Producer - D’Nae
8. Interlude (1:15)
9. Skate (2:26) Producer - Vin Roc
10. Phone Tag (3:00)
11. Authentic Vintage (4:18)
12. Combat (3:23)
13. Copacetic (4:37) Featuring Spear Of The Nation
14. Lunar Heights - Just Enough (7:48) Scratches - DJ Icewater
15. Best Bar

Links:
www.natAuralhigh.com
www.therebirthlive.com
Stevie Wonder | Living for The City Lyrics
www.triplethreatdj.com/vinroc