Customer Reviews

Waltz for Koop

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't know whether anybody will be able to get anything out of that... description up there with its name-droppings which are, as so very often, pretty irrelevant. This record has nothing to do with Miles Davis. The other names mentioned are somewhat more relevant. If you're into either of those people, Kruder & Dorfmeister, say, then chances are that you will like this album.

Koop basically took *very* lush jazz samples and put dance music on top. They have a few musicians which play bass and bongos plus a set of singers, and the resulting music is a very relaxed downtempo affair. For those moments in life when you just feel like chillin out. The whole album gets a tiny little bit boring at the end but there are a few real gems on it. What's more, those gems are not overextended to last for seven or eight minutes - means they don't get boring as do too many other downtempo songs.

I received the "Waltz for Koop" album as a premium for sponsoring KCRW, my local public radio station. KCRW's music staff is recognized for their ability to spot the best new talent, as well as break important records, and their reputation does not dim with the recommendation of this wonderful little CD. This is beautiful, breezy jazz that, at its best ("Summer Sun," "Baby"), recalls "Getz/Gilberto." Specifically, the voice of Yukimi Nagano suggests the exuberant insouciance of picnics, rides in convertibles on warm, full-moon nights, and an afternoon spent dancing barefoot with friends with a glass of sangria in your hand. Like Astrud Gilberto, the great talent of her voice is the emotion it evokes -- it's less about technical perfection and more about its acute ability to set a mood. In this case, that mood is cool, seductive, and all-too-brief -- at just over a half hour, this album is the party guest that leaves too soon, leaving you to make time with other less interesting folks until the lights go out. Buy the album, lend it to a friend for a cocktail party, simply enjoy. It shouldn't be long before Volkswagen or Target or Gap find "Waltz for Koop," and you want to buy it before *they* drive it into the ground, don't you?

We heard a selection from Waltz for Koop on the radio only a week ago, and decided to buy the cd. The selection we heard is "Summer Sun", performed by Yukimi Nagano. This track brought back memories from when I went to the Montreal Jazz Festival in summer of 2000. Why I like Summer Sun so much is because it is the exact style of Jazz my preferences can relate to.

The packaging is beautiful, as well as the cool graphics on the cd. I never heard of Koop before 1 week ago, and must say that this is just another one of those perfect cds which will stay in near the stereo. It's also fun to have a cd player in the computer, because when I want to hear some good music, I just throw on Koop or any of the other great cds previously reviewed in my about me area reviews page.
The voice of Cecilia Stalin amused me enought to want to play the cd twice in 1 hour. There are two really genuine reasons for that. One is on account of the cd length. It is the type of cd that you quickly get into, and bam, before you know it, it's over. The second reason is that there are only 9 songs in the tracklist....

Not much more to be said about the cd, but will say that it is definitely worth a listening to and buying as a result.

I heard good comments about this group for sometime now but not sure of what they sound like until I listened to their cd at a record store. As soon as I pressed play, I was hook to the first track. Just to make sure that they have more to offer, I let it played to the second track and after that I have no doubt that this cd is a must have. This is a great cd for people who are interestested in jazz but can't quiet dig the old jazz. Just like people who can't listen to HIP HOP but love TRIP HOP.

Koop is not playing jazz to be trendy. Their music is honest. The guests vocalists have such beautiful voices. I espeically like the famales vocals. What amazing is that, these singers can just sing a few simple lines like "Bright nights/city lights/and we dont leave soon" and it it sound beautiful. It is like they can just sing any words from a magazine or an ad and it would sound good cause they have such amazing voices. This cd is only 35 minutes and some may complain that it is short. But that is what i like about it, some of the most pleasurable experiences in life dont last long. This cd is short but sweet and make you want more.

This cd have a wide appeal. If you not a jazz snob, you would dig this cd. If you love downtempo music or just chill out this cd would put any current "chill out" releases to shame. Fans of jazz fusion would like this. Anyone who is intrested in hearing something new should give this cd a chance. It will be an essential record in the future.

Spacey. Melodic. Beautiful. Ethereal. Jazzy. Think Rainer Truby or Jazzanova at half speed. I love it. Little tastes of old jazz tunes thrown in, but not US3; much more laid back. Think Man Ray. Soundtrack for a dream.

I picked this CD up in the dance music section of our local music store and took a listen. I'm glad I did, because this would count as some of the best music I've ever heard. Reminiscent of lazy Sunday evenings, late-night lounges and sultry blondes, Koop blends elements of dance music, jazz, trip-hop, swing and downtempo into one delicious, happy blend. The music tempts this listener, like a beautiful, alluring and mysterious woman. Track no 1, waltz for Koop, has gorgeous Bjork-like vocals (Cecilia Stalin). Track no. 4, Summer Sun, features sultry vocals by the 15-year old Yukimi Nagano. Track no. 8 is another favorite, with an upbeat, yet distinctive house flavor, and great vocals. To those with a loved one, this would make an excellent companion to romantic evenings. To those without, you'd wish you did. The one complaint I have about this CD is that it is too short! Like all good music, Koop is for keeps.

This is light, breezy lounge jazz, perfect for cocktail hour by the pool. As dozens of your close-knit circle of VIP friends roll up for their sundowners, they will be pleasantly intrigued but charmed by these sounds. Time to dig out the cruisewear and head for the islands

A lot of chillout or lounge people of recent years go for the atmosphere of "jazz" or bossa nova and end up producing something that is, at least, inoffensive to the ears. When I heard this Koop CD, I could tell that they had the same goal, but they do it so well. They don't sound like Thievery or St. Germain, even though St. Germain is all right...but they approach their music with the paced and sophisticated sensibility of the generation of jazz musicians that were killed by fusion. The live musicians on this album are very solid and interesting. As a jazz musician myself, I can tell when producers or second rate musicians are faking it. Even though some of the sampled material is completely ripped of from old jazz songs, the end result is a swinging and utterly ethereal set.
The 4 songs on the beginning of the album are mostly traditionally arranged vocal bits that sandwich an instrumental solo between a sung melody. The singers have a light and delicate touch to match the instrumentation behind them. The melodies and overall compositions are good enough to use in a big band or other traditional jazz setting. The rest of the songs seem more like hipster pieces. They mostly hang out on one chord and feature deep voiced men, but the key in these is the consistently deep and stylish atmosphere.
This album is delicate and retro without the shallow elevator music style of other "jazzy" electronic producers, and it also avoids the overly assertive recycled splash of Japanese acts like Pizzicato Five and Fantastic Plastic Machine. It occupies a space that a lot of artists reach for, but hits such a delicate balance that I doubt even they can try to do it again. That makes it essential; that makes it a classic

I'm embarassed to admit that I stumbled upon Koop because the 3rd track "Baby" was featured on the season 1 finale episode of Nip/Tuck. I fell in love w/ the 60's jazz feel and it became an obsession to find out who the artist was. I found out it was Koop and immediately bought the CD.

I absolutely love this CD. Currently my favorites seem to be "Soul for Sahib" and "Modal Mile". That's the thing about this album, almost every song is so good that I know my favorites will rotate over time. This album is definately a "must have" in most jazz collections.

The lowdown is that the first 6 tracks on this album are extremely addicting. I absolutely love every one of them. Cecilia Stalin is brilliant on "Waltz for Koop" and "Baby". The other singers on the album are also fantastic as well, but not as raw and emotional yet polished. The only song I really didn't take to was "In a heartbeat". I was looking for jazz and it really struck me as more electronic not at all in the same musical category as the rest of the album. I think my love for Modal Mile and Soul for Sahib is because I really like the 60's jazz bent and these songs seem to go beyond the strong base and pull some interesting arrangements for the flute, horns and sax as well. You just don't hear that alot these days so it was a nice fresh surprise.

The album is short but beautiful. Some of the influences I noticed were "Swing Out Sister" at their jazziest and (in the case of Modal Mile) blues with a base. Can't stress enough how good it really is. It is a must have for any person who appreciates the fabulous retro sound.

This is soooo smooth, so luxurious, sooo...aaaaah!
I love it.

I first heard tracks from this CD on last FM online and loved it ever since.

I listen to this type of music after work, in solitude, with a nice drink.