Customer Reviews

Mushroom Jazz 3

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Being a DJ of this type of music myself, I was looking forward to seeing what's been on Doctor Farina's mind for the last year or so. Needless to say, I wasn't dissappointed. The mixes on installment 3 are a little more sophisticated than the previous two. Concentrating more on "mood-mixes", this, in my opinion, is the phattest phungus yet. It's all typical Farina-style. Bringing back long-forgotten grooves that you heard ten minutes ago and blending with style (not as hurky-jerky as 1 or drawn-out as 2), it's just solid groove all the way through.

I got into Mark Farina as a house connoisseur. I consider him to be one of the very best house DJs out there, and I try to catch his act live whenever possible.

I've only heard him play his signature "Mushroom Jazz" a couple of times. I picked up Volume 3 to get an idea of what he could do with a whole different genre of tunes.

It's flat out stunning. I'm a DJ myself, and I couldn't even *notice* many of the mixes. With a few others I could notice that they had happened, but couldn't pinpoint the beginning or the end. And with a very small few I could tell exactly what was happening; in these few cases, it occurred to me that it's amazing he was able to fit those two songs together at all, much less make it sound good (which he did). He's in a whole different realm of smooth, one most DJs can only dream of reaching.

Not only have I never heard these downtempo, jazzy tracks mixed better than this before; I have trouble believing that they *could*be mixed any better.

Buy it. Period.

This is one to get your foot tapping, your head nodding, and your body moving. Right off the bat, Mark Farina dips into jazzy house of his particular flavor. I have never really been much for house music, but this album really does it for me. The groove is in full swing, and the funky beats are jazzed up the gills. Prehaps something that belongs at a lively jazz restraunt, this album keys you into downtempo groove and keeps you there throughout the compilation.

Vocal samples from a recurring track are sprinkled throughout the mix. You dont catch it at first, but when youre halfway through the disc and it hits you again you can only do a double take at how much it does to pull the album into a unified work.

To say the track selection is varried is not enough. This mix pulls a huge number of songs together, and to have it still do justice to the individual track while adding to the full album is a feat in an of itself. When you have finished listening, you have the feeling of having completed a two disc set, and yet Mark gets it into one jamming CD. From housey groove beats to jazzed up downtempo funk to hip-hop MCing, this disc brings house together in a very unique way.

This is a staple album in that it might grab someone who is not into the genre and pull them in headfirst. It sure did for me. House wasnt ever my first choice, but this album had me doing double takes at just how well it can be executed. It sets the mood down superbly and guides you through Mark's world of jazzed house. If you are looking for a quality sample of house music's best, or if you are a house junky looking for a fix, Mark Farina has you hooked up. A very solid four, if not reaching five for some. It works for me in every sense, therefore getting a five.

pessimisstically i was expecting this compilation to be too 'housey'... but it wasn't. it's the second best of the three mushroom jazz volumes. since i got it i can't really stop listenting to it so that should be saying something. it's very chill.

DJ Mark Farina did a wonderful job with this third compilation of jazzy hip-hop tracks. It's such a delight to listen to and it easily floats from one song to the next, and all the tracks are good. I find myself playing it over and over, it's impossible for me to get tired of this album. It offers a wide variety of tempos but it's mainly an album one would play for any type of activity, such as: Cruising in your car at night, cleaning the kitchen, just kicking back in your recliner chair and meditating, or simply providing chilled out background music for a party. You can't go wrong with buying this volume, there is something for everybody on this, trust me.

In the third installment of the Mushroom Jazz series, Doctor Farina gives us a glimpse into what has been inside of his head for the past year or so. Being a DJ of this type of music myself, I was greatly looking forward to this release. I was, of course, not disappaointed. The mixes are typical Farina - bringing back groove ideas from ten minutes ago you already forgot about. They are, however, a little more sophisticated than the previous releases. Not as hurky-jerky and quick like Volume 1, and not as drawn-out as Volume 2. It seems as though he concentrated more on the overall mood of the the mixes rather than just, "does the beat match??" If you are familiar with (and liked) the previous releases, this is the one you have been waiting for. Solid groove straight through.

I may have been a bit late when I fell for Om Records artists and releases. I started out listening to some of their Om Lounge cd's in 2000 and instantly fell for the style and sound. After hearing vol 3 of that series I instantly wanted to check out some of their other artists and was pulled into the realm of King Kooba and several others, noticing remixes and just some fresh and unique takes and sounds. Mark Farina is a DJ/Producer on the label that I also got into late. The Mushroom Jazz series now spans 5 volumes, with each volume having it's own unique identity.

I honestly love the tunes on this - what a sensational selection! It's got an urban feel through and through with loads of beauty in the songs. Starting out with King Kooba's "California Sweet", and diving straight into the classy "De La Bass" instrumental by Raw Instinct, you know you're on a journey. Great guitar and flow. After the vocal to Raw Instinct's second edit, you're guided into an instrumental and beats bliss with DJ Presto and Mateo & Matos. This is just the beginning! When you get up to Gripper's "Jazz Cop", the beat kicks and drops, and you're pulled into People Under the Stair's "Schooled in the Trade". I dig that track... and morever I like The Unspoken Heard's "Trackrunners" and definitely enjoyed the instrumental vibe on Que D's "Rock Box"... which is honestly FAR better than the vocal. ALl of this intertwined to the Billie Holiday inspired Jaffa vocal edit of "Sneakin'".

I have to recommend this. It's a mixed cd and is loaded with soul, urban essences and broken beats. To be honest, I prefer the vinyl set just because the tracks aren't mixed but you do miss a few songs with the vinyl package. It wasn't totally flawless, however - on occasion, I think that Jaffa's track was slid in way too much with the other tracks and when other cuts are sampled too much, to me sometimes it takes away from the music. But it's hardly enough to deter anyone from this - check it out and the rest of the series! If you dig this, you'll probably also like DJ Cam's "Mad Blunted Jazz" & hi DJ Kicks, Dr. Bob Jones "Trust the DJ" & maybe Mr. Scruff's "Solid Steel".

Yes, this a long session of really good tracks mixed together.

The first third is a never ending bassline, accompanied with good beats. I would call it smoothed out jazz and funk beats, without the jazz improv. Laid back. Head nodding.

Simple, swingy and slightly monotonous beats with cool "tingly dings" here and there. You'll sit and wonder where the sounds come from.

The only downside is a rap/hip-hop track in the middle, which could have been left out.

This one says it best - a triptifying blend of jazz, soul, and R&B elements. I am amazed this is being mixed - it sounds studio-edited - but it really doesn't matter either way. Stick in the player and chill, man.

MJ1 knocked my socks off, and MJ2 took me to an entirely different understanding of the groove, so I expected MJ3 to redefine my standards. Going into it with such a high expectation, its easy to get dissapointed. MJ3 is solid, don't get me wrong. But now that its eased itself into my collection I rarely pick it up to play it. The mixing pretty good, there are a few questionables, but I think most of what I feel comes from the track selection. Its a little less funky than the other before it, more melodic maybe. Just I think that there are probably better tracks out there he could have selected for this album. Overall : its hip, but if you can only have one cd, get Mushroom Jazz 2, the height of the series, (so far) in my humble opinion.