Customer Reviews

DJ Kicks

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For the past half decade or so, Rainer Truby, Roland Appel and Christian Prommer, alongside Michael Reinboth and the now well-known Compost label, have slowly but surely made the depths of Germany a simmering hotspot for their signature global sound. With the likes of friends Jazzanova, Truby Trio have crafted an elusive and seductive mix of jazz, Latin and Afro rhythms, and smooth electronic sounds--a thick musical stew which defies easy categorization (now being dubbed such things as nu-jazz, broken beat, electronic lounge,etc.). Not limited by a specific style, or genre, Truby Trio's aim is to bring high quality music and beats to the fore.

Their mix for label K7's prestigious DJ Kicks opens with the crackle and pops of a vintage records, and slowly unfolds into the classy, yet tongue-in-cheek "High Jazz." From there, dense, jazzy tribal rhythms and warm summery tunes are woven into a surprisingly diverse and cohesive musical story. Though the album is easily appropriate for home listening, the heavy, swinging, shuffling beat suggest a mix equally appropriate for the body's grooving.

This DJ Kicks is a representative of the sound Truby Trio brings to their own club night in Germany, but, as Truby himself points out in the liner notes, it is impossible to work all angles of their musical interest into the 75 minutes alone. Highlights of their compilation include (in addition to "High Jazz" by the Trio mentioned above), the playful and unpredictable shuffle of Slowsupreme's "Granada," the sensuous crooning of Africanism's "Edony," the warm, hypnotic tones of Upsolid's "Sequel," and Voom:Voom's irresistible growling bassline on "Fred & Ginger." The rest of the pieces are of equally consitent quality, and make for unique moments in this soulful, groovy assembly of music. It is a refreshing direction in club- and home-listening, and comes highly recommended.

DJ Kicks... one of my favorite DJ series. Carl Craig, Thievery Corporation, Kruder/Dorfmeister, DJ Cam, Smith & Mighty, Daddy G, Terranova, Stereo MC's and at least a dozen others have all graced the series with their unique mixes. This one, done up in 2001, was put together by Truby Trio. That's Rainer Truby, Christian Prommer and Roland Appel - the last two being members of Fauna Flash but all three working togehter or individually or even with other groups on the German label "Compost".

This is easily one of my favorite DJ Kicks releases. It starts out sweetly with Conjure's "Medley" before Truby Trio's own "High Jazz" kicks in. I dig their cut - it's got a sensational broken beat to it and a class that was neatly remixed a few years later. That's followed up seamlessly with Block 16's "Find an Oasis"; a track that's loaded with Braziliance, soul & electronica. A moody track follows up, "Edony", by Africanism before another neat broken beat by Matthaus. Slow Supreme's "Granada" is a track that would be popular on a few mixes and is soooooo... I dunno, "Europish". :) I never said that was a bad thing, and it has an awesome electronic feel to it. One of the other highlights to me was Afronaught's "Transcend Me". This cut JAM's, you listen to it once and think it's cool but then it sticks in your mind and you have to hear it again. Other great songs on this were Korova's "Some People", remixed by Waiwan, Modaji's "one and the Same" done up by Jazztronik, and.... heck... the whole thing's pretty sweet. Tim Hutton's "Colours" would sort of be the track of the summer in 2002, you've got another Truby Trio track remixed by Zero db, a kicken beat by Voom:Voom (who is Prommer, Appel and Peter Kruder) and a sick percussion and sax track to close the set by... Fauna Flash. Funny though - I don't know if it's really possible to find a good album with broken beats that doesn't include anyone from Bugz in the Attic (Afronaught, Modaji, etc.)

I definitely recommend this one. I love it. The music's tight and it's great electronica and broken beats from all over. Since this, Truby Trio's gone on to make loads of remixes, release a feature album in 2002, a remix album a few years later and Rainer's also done lots of work too. K7's a label known for underground beats and grooves but I'm pretty sure that over the years, their secret's out now. If you like this, be sure to keep your eye out on a DJ Kicks' "Best Of" sort of deal that just came out this month title: "DJ Kicks - The Exclusives". You also have to get your hands on the Trust the DJ series' as this mix is eerily similar to Gilles Peterson's "GP01", and you'll probably like Phil Asher's "PA01" and "PA02" along with the sets done by Patrick Forge, Michael Reinboth (also of Compost) and Dr. Bob Jones.

I am a happy owner of this CD since the very first day it came out almost three years ago. This is one of the CDs that makes you r life complete!!!
Rainer Truby and his buddies have produced a masterpiece in which they mix together different styles more than naturally. Like in classical music, everything has its sense and place from the first beats till the very end. It is so amazing how they switch from their climax "Galicia (Zero dB Remix)" into the smooth and chilly final two songs of this mix...leaving you behind in a state of peace that makes you wanna listen to it all over again.....

I highly recommend this CD to anyone who wants to experience what is possible in modern electronic / future jazz and techno music.

Eurotrash forever!!!!!!!!

A nice collection of varius artist (including also some of Truby Trio), probably one of the most nice of the famous dj kicks (thievery corporation it's another great kicks!).
A mix of groovy solful nu jazz music for swinging!
A pearl difficult to find in others cd is :Edony "clap your hands"-Africanism feat Hassam Ramzy a music tales in the desert....
You can find also Slowsupreme with Granada (already utilise by Pompugnac) and staying in the city name's you will find also Tel Aviv of Fauna Flash (already present in their cd).
Finally a cd made of different sounds (you will find also some sounds of techno...)nice and very useful for a not sleeeping party!
Remember music it's a part(y) of your life!!!

In this album, Rainer Truby with Christian Prommer and Roland Appel demonstrate their ever evident ability to find a common ground in their influences which come from all corners of the world. From Samba to Afro-beat, Latin 2-step, nuJazz, they bring these rhythms together beautifully - great groove mix.
I love it.

Here's another example of a potentially great mix -- by a talented group of fellows -- muddied by too many vocal tracks. It may be just me, or I may have just made a bad purchase, but I'm so sick of DJs choosing too many tracks with too many vocals for their mixes. Avoid the diva thing and stick to the music. On a more positive note, the mixing is good (enough raw spots to make it sound legit) and several tracks toward the middle are great. Overall, disappointing for such a "legendary" DJ's project.

4 cuts out of 14 makes this a good purchase as a used CD. Several of the tunes include talking pieces that really don't help.

I have listened to many albums this past year, I have really been getting into more of a head-nodding jazzanova, chilled house genre lately, and this definately deserves some respect. Great for those upscale house parties- dim lights, beautiful people, drinks. . . or just lounging around w/ friends.
This album will foot the bill, for any occasion

This is it, Truby Trio mixin up a full length set for your listening pleasure. Rainer Truby and Fauna Flash getting together for the good of everyone. This is what is all about, you cant go wrong with these three guys picking the tracks. Cross your fingers and they might come to a city near you!! I have been lucky enough to catch them a couple of times and now to be able to get a copy of this disc!

Waiting for the Trio in Southern California.

If you are a fan of NUjazz/Broken Beat like the releases "Jazzanova - The Remixes 1997-2000", "Compost 100 Hundred" or "Labfunk" by ATJazz, then I can highly recommend this very fine release! The mixture of Funk, Latin, Jazz and soulgrooves simply makes this one a very smooth addition to your collection of groovy varied cd's!