Nu-jazz was a rather unfortunate name for anything that wasn’t quite jazz but maybe not fully fledge dance music five or so years back. This compilation, Jazzanova’s first for a while, takes elements of that idea but manages to feel the funk in and around its many piano solos. Chief funkateers are the Shirley Eubanks Ensmble, and their version of ‘The Blessing Song’, while others to impress are Dalindeo, Christian Prommers’ Drumlesson, Little Dragon and Quasimode. As ever Jazzanova supply variety and a few unexpected turns, and while it helps a lot if you like the music at the jazz-dance interface, this works well as a backdrop too.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
