Customer Reviews

Hidden Beach Recordings presents: Unwrapped Vol. 4

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There have been people far and near that consider Jazz as being a dying breed. Young listeners just don't get into that 'old time' music that our parents grew up loving and appreciating. You could ask any of them to name one John Coltrane song or one Miles Davis song, and you 'd be wasting your time. They are more interested in the latest 50 Cent song or Kanye West song. Some of us from the 'Grown And Sexy' crowd can't even relate to Jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald or Dinah Washington, but we can tell you the latest Busta Rhymes cut is "Touch It" and recite all the words to Slick Rick's "La Di Da Di." Does that make us the bad ones for not growing up with Jazz? No, but it does make us the first ones to have to be taught what the true essence of American music really stems from. That's what I think Hidden Beach Recordings is doing with the Unwrapped series. They are trying to reconnect the musical void that has become wider than the Cumberland Gap. They are trying to get young folks interested in the Jazz sound again. This series is just the thing that's needed to remedy this wrong, and Unwrapped Volume 4 might be the best installment to date.

Although not the biggest names in Contemporary Jazz were not used for any of these installments, they do have a talented bunch at the helm for all the songs on Volume 4. The people behind this latest venture include Mike Phillips, Jeff Bradshaw, Karen Briggs, Dennis Nelson, Richard Patterson, and Frank McComb. And the songs they cover aren't just hip-hop songs from today, but also the classic jams that some of us grew up on in the 80s and 90s as well. The new school is represented with smoothed out versions of The Game's "Hate It Or Love It," 50 Cent's "21 Questions" and "Candy Shop," Kanye West's "All Falls Down" and Fat Joe's "Lean Back." Some hits from the 90s include covers of Chubb Rock's "Treat Em Right," Naughty By Nature's "Hip Hop Hooray," and Busta Rhymes' "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See." Last but not least, the Eighties are represented with Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" (the single was released in late 1979, but the self-titled album featuring the song was released in 1980), Slick Rick's "Children's Story," and Kid 'N Play's "Rollin With Kid N Play."

Unwrapped Volume 4 is a great jazz retrospective of the early beginnings of hip-hop all the way up to today's jams. The collective does a masterful job of mixing jazz and hip-hop, a move that has been replicated by other collections on the market. There have always been covers of R&B songs, so it was only a matter of time before Rap was picked as a new ingredient to keep Jazz relevant to today's market. Hidden Beach has outdone themselves this time, arguably picking some of the best material to cover on Volume 4. There are so many possible angles they could choose for the future. (i.e. Dirty South, All Female Rappers, West Coast , Positive Rap, etc) But whatever direction they decide to go, hopefully the Unwrapped series keeps its focus on entertaining and expanding the minds of today's younger generations.

I have all the other volumes. I've said it before and this time is no exception. Hidden Beach elevates the game with each project they release. I loved the song selections and the interpretations. The regulars represent and some new names I'm not familiar with...yet?
Mike Phillips, Karen Briggs, Jeff Bradshaw and a very personal favorite Frank McComb all brought their "A" game to the table. Personal favorites so far include 21 Questions where Frank McComb unleashes a blazing piano solo, Bedtime Stories, Rappers Delight,
Treat Me Right, Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See, Lean Back and Hate It Or Love It the remix version. There are rampant duplicators...but Hidden Beach is the one and only original! I'll be spreading the word just like I do every time! Check this one out! You won't be disappointed!

It seems as if every release from HB gets better and better, but this one blew me out the water! I mean all of the recent hits from today's artists sprinkle in a few throwback tracks (Kid-N-Play, Chubb Rock) and this is a solid release. I would not only reccomend this only to Hip Hop fans, I would reccomend this to all MUSIC fans!

When Vol.1 came out, I was blown away. Great for listening in the car or ballroom dancing. I was rather disappointed in Vol.'s 2 & 3. I just picked up Vol. 4 and I can't stop playing it. I agree with another reviewer that the vocals aren't as good. Where is Sylveena Johnson on "All Falls Down?" This other chick is weak. But all in all, I am digging the CD. It's especially good if you like 50 or Busta's music but can do without all the foul language.

P.S. Love Mike Phillips, the saxophonist. Check him out on Jill Scott's live album on "The Way You Love Me."

All I can say is that I can't wait for Volume 5. Hidden Beach is the epitome of inovation. They have done it yet again, 4 volumes of pure innovative fusion between Hiphop, R&B, and Jazz, to make for an entire album of perfect music. The song choices were phenomenal and well arranged. Purchace with confidence and promote the superiority of Hidden Beach, you can not go wrong.

Blazing tracks, great blend of hip hop & R&B. I am really feeling this record. A friend was playing some of the earlier Unwrapped albums at a house party and I asked what we were listening to and he looked at me like I had two heads cause I wasn't up on Unwrapped. If you are like me and you grew up listening to hip hop but you also love real musicians go get this record. Nuff said.

The JR Revenge Tracks are the hottest tracks I've heard! Who is he?

I can't get enough. Love this CD I can't stop playing it.

Yo, I'm really feelin #2 and #5! I'm gonna have to get this for my pops for Christmas.

Musically superior, however some of the vocals mess up the vibe... W.