Re-Bop: The Savoy Remixes (Dig)

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Savoy Jazz
• ASIN: B000F4RHA2
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,124 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As artists such as saxophonist Steve Coleman have demonstrated, mining or creating connections between bebop and hiphop can be an exhilarating exercise. But juxtaposing hiphop beats on bebop classics, with the drums nakedly on top, also can yield banal results through the marring of rhythmic schemes that were more cutting and challenging in their original form. Re-Bop: The Savoy Remixes, on which name remixers were recruited to make sonic hay with one of jazz's prized catalogs, is by and large a successful intermingling of forms. Eclipse's ruthless minimalism with Milt Jackson's vibes on the Modern Jazz Quartet's "Movin' Nicely" and DJ Spooky's wilful, episodic breakdown of Charlie Parker's "KoKo" are as entrancing as they are adrenalizing. Saint Etienne's electronics on Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite" (as recorded by Herbie Mann) take the song intriguingly out of its element while DJ Smash's Middle Eastern effects on Duke Ellington's "Caravan" (as recorded by Dizzy Gillespie) take it further into its element. On the other hand, King Britt's busy, gussied-up "Speakeasy" treatment of "Lover Man," as sung by Sarah Vaughan with Dizzy Gillespie, is a disservice to the great singer and Ali Shaheed Muhammad's vocal and instrumental gamesmanship on Curtis Fuller's "Five Spot After Dark"  deprives the tune of its charm. One hopes listeners will go back and listen to these songs in their un-remixed state, as featured on the companion set, Re-Bop: The Savoy Originals. But that demographic bridge may be harder to cross than the stylistic one. --Lloyd Sachs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bleah, May 8, 2007

By 

Peace Brotha (Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Re-Bop: The Savoy Remixes (Dig) (Audio CD)

Just for the record: I know what I'm getting into when I buy a remixed album of classics. I know nothing will replace the originals, nor am I looking for them to be replaced. What I AM looking for are new, entertaining and fun twists on the originals.

I did not get that with Re-Bop, even after a couple spins to let the grooves marinate. I found this collection to be mediocre, at best. It's not good, it's not bad. Just decent background music with a nice groove. But nothing at all stands out to me here.

Well, almost nothing. The thing I noticed most was how dated some of these remixes sound. It's like all of these songs were done with mid-90's style beats and techniques. I love mid-90's music, especially from the R&B scene. But a 10 year old sound ain't old enough to be "retro" enough to be considered hip. With an album like Re-Bop we'd expect a truly fresh sound, at least with vibes from this millenium.

Great concept, so-so execution. Maybe Re-Bop II (if there is such a thing in the works) will find the opportunities that this set missed along the way.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great if you know what you are getting into, November 6, 2006

By 

B. Metz "jazzman831" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Re-Bop: The Savoy Remixes (Dig) (Audio CD)

A lot of people review these remix CD's with remorse that they are no longer as good as the origionals. If you are expecting a classic jazz lover's treatment of your favorite songs do not buy this CD! If, on the other hand you love to hear reworkings and new spin on old standbys this is an excellent album. There are a couple duds (such as the opening song "Movin' Nicely") which rather repetitive and some of them hide the original song underneath all the new remixing. On the other hand some tracks like "Night in Tunisia" and "Minor Vamp" integrate the old track into new grooves like nothing you have ever heard before. I would buy the CD based on these tracks alone. Then, as an added bonus you get songs such as "Caravan" (probably my favorite), "Night and Day" (a close second) and "Loverman" which take the original and enhance it. These gems are what the original writers would have made them sound like had they had the technology (and the audience).

If you are an open-minded jazz lover or simply someone who loves a good groove buy this CD today.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great from the right angle, November 19, 2006

By 

Erik Johnson - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Re-Bop: The Savoy Remixes (Dig) (Audio CD)

I approached this CD with a different perspective than most, being a movement theatre (dance?) teacher in a high school. I'm always searching for music that is accessible to young people and yet challenges them, and for that, this CD is perfect. Probably a bit more accessible to the electronic-music lover than the jazz lover, still many tracks on this CD capture and translate the mood of the original pieces of music. I particularly like the "Minor Vamp" and "Night in Tunisia" cuts.

There are tons of tracks on this CD that are perfect to slip into a more traditional dance party for a change of pace. It's the kind of thing that my friends always end up asking about if they hear even one song.

One last note- I also own the Reich Remixed CD, another similar attempt, except with minimalist music instead of jazz - and the Savoy Remixes is BY FAR the better CD. This made me want to explore the original recordings, where the Reich Remix CD was almost without exception dull and/or irritating and discouraged exploration.