Squire For Hire [IMPORT]

Nathan Haines

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 2, 2004)
• Original Release Date: March 5, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Chilli Funk
• ASIN: B0000AW0TY
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #442,002 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Stuff From the Do It all Mr. Haines, March 13, 2007

By	bordersj2 (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Nathan Haines has been around for a while. He's worked with loads of artists in the West London broken beat scene too - from the Bugz to the Gilles Peterson to Phil Asher/Chilifunk and all over. Wherever he is, he's got that unique horn and that sound... which all makes sense that he'd open up with "Squire for Hire". It's sort of interesting - he hails from New Zealand, much like another well known gifted artist into the same sort of genre, Mark De Clive-Lowe.

This isn't his first release, but it's a terrific one none-the less. It's got funky vibes, soulful grooves and a damn fine sax! It's never shrieky, it's never over the top and the musicianship is anything but forced. Like the previous reviewer said, it's just cool... laid back but enough to get your head bobbin'. Songs that stood out to me were a few I'd heard before like "O Misterio", which features Guida De Palma of Jazzinho. I hope she goes back to this style of singing - clear, very cool, very nice. The beat to the song is something to behold though. I used to try spinning it but there's almost no way to cross it into another song. Still, it's a lovely number. "Squire for Hire"'s a great little nu-jazz number too with a great live band sound and vocal. That voice is none-other than Marlena Shaw! I also dug the spoken tracks, especially 'Springtime Rain', with Rich Medina. What a mood the tracks gives... and the instrumentation is nothing short of wonderful.

There were other cuts here that I enjoyed, but those are the highlights to me. He tried Steely Dan's classic "FM", and to be honest really did the song justice - just not my favorite track of Steely Dan's. And then not every song grabbed me, so I did hit the FF button on just a couple. But I can't knock him for trying because there are several elements of Steely Dan in Nathan's album and loads of other great songs. This album isn't necessary new - released back in 2003. But it's a nice one and one that I've enjoyed. I recommend this to anyone that's a Kyoto Jazz Massive fan - you'll almost definitely be hooked onto this sound. If you are interested, I'd recommend picking it up soner rather than later as it's probably going to be out of print shortly and tough to track down.

5.0 out of 5 stars like to hire this squire (ha ha), October 21, 2006

By	Deborah Mueller "Debs" (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I heard this playing in a shoe shop in central Auckland, and just had to buy it. Before then, I had never heard of Nathan Haines.
Now I can't live without this album, and I've bought anything else he has recorded.
The music is jazzy, funky and just plain cool. The rhythm and attitude of this album never fails to get me grooving.