On last year's Blue Note Trip German DJ collective Jazzanova gathered tracks from that label's legendary catalog for a spectacular two-CD mix in hopes of spreading the jazz gospel. Since 1995 the six-piece Jazzanova tribe has mixed nu-jazz sensibilities with deep house and broken-beat dance rhythms, resulting in a slew of highly vaunted remix compilations. The Remixes 2002-2005 compiles Jazzanova's recent remixes while the group works on their next full-fledged artist release. Though they are more involved with composing than remixing these days, Jazzanova thinks their fans should get in on the act.
"We included a blank CD-R with The Remixes," Jürgen von Knoblauch explains, "because we think it is cool to compile music for friends and for your private use. You should play around with the music you buy. Also, at our website we offer an exclusive mix `13 tracks` that you can download to this blank CD-R. The mix will change every two months. If you put the finished CD into your computer it will direct you to the download link. It is free for now."
Created by Knoblauch with fellow members Stefan Leisering, Axel Reinemer, Roskow Kretschmann, Alexander Barck and Claas Brieler, The Remixes is not likely to shake any jazz heads toward the dance floor, but club kids should fall fast for its inimitable mix of soul-doused break-beat tracks. Calexico, Free Design, Eddie Gale, Masters at Work, Nuspirit Helsinki and Marcos Valle receive the patented Jazzanova treatment, as well as lesser-knowns like Status IV and Shaun Escoffery.
The Remixes is slick and assured, studio product that crosses quiet storm ambience, smooth jazz riffing and pounding dance-floor rhythms. When Jazzanova DJs live, each member carries approximately 40 CDs and 70 LPs apiece, but if they have their druthers, these mod Berliners go totally old school.
"We remix records," Knoblauch says, "but we are not like these DJs who put the tracks on the computer and arrange them differently for each audience. Live, it's all vinyl and CDs, we are DJs from beginning to end. Back in the day we even pressed a lot of dubplate, but it is so expensive, man! CDs are really easy to use, but vinyl is still best, so when we have the chance to use vinyl instead of CD, it is vinyl every time."
Jazzanova
9 pm Tuesday, Jan. 17
The Social
