Verve Remixed, Vol. 2

Various Artists (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 2003)
• Original Release Date: August 26, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B0000ACAO3
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,025 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #50 in

  Music > Dance & Electronic > Turntablists

• This is item 2 in The Verve Remixed Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The sequel to 2002's Verve Remixed follows and improves upon the original's formula; take material from the storied vaults at Verve Records and let top DJs of the modern era have at them. Featuring an impressive roster of dance artists like Miguel Migs, Koop, and Fila Brazillia, the trick is matching DJ with jazz standard in a way that compliments both. It's a tough chore, given the classics involved and the need to do them justice. On Sarah Vaughan’s "Whatever Lola Wants," Gotan Project manage the task with distinction, filtering rustic and romantic accordions through the song's lusty machinations. Astute choices are required, like Mondo Grosso’s decision to build a solid thump out of just the central melody of Archie Shepp's "Blues For Brother George Jackson." Sometimes, the best thing to do is get out of the way; Mr. Scruff's Soul Party Mix of "Do What You Wanna" only adds some background party noise to Ramsey Lewis’ ripping keyboard solo. VR2 doesn't hit the mark every time, but the combinations that work accomplish what only the best dance music does--they crumble the walls between genres and encourage us all to get down together. --Matthew Cooke

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shaken not stirred, November 9, 2003

By	Erica Anderson (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I am not really a fan of jazz music. I just couldn't get into it. That is until I listened to the samples on Amazon for "Verve Remixed 2". I was bored at the office and decided to check out the samples for this album. Much to my surprise I liked what I heard. I bought the cd yesterday and haven't been able to get it out of my cd player. This collection of jazz songs remixed by today's hottest djs is a great idea. It means that non-jazz fans who might be into dance music (like myself) would give jazz music a chance. "Verve Remixed 2" is the ideal cd to throw into the stereo for a cocktail party with the friends or on a Saturday night before heading out to the clubs. "Verve Remixed 2" is somewhere in between the "Buddha Bar" series and the "Barfly" series. There is a good mix of house music as well as chill out music. I am not a fan of Felix Da Housecat's work but I thought his remix of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" was excellent. It is one of my favorite tracks on the cd. Oscar Brown Jr. reminded me a whole lot like Nick Cave on his song "Brother Where Are You?". The similiarities in singing style was eerily alike. Another great song. I also really dug Gotan Project remix of Sarah Vaughn's "Whatever Lola Wants". After listening to "Verve Remixed 2", my mind has definitely opened up to the sounds of jazz music. I think remixing standard jazz classics by today's hottest djs is a wonderful idea 'cause it really exposes the music to a whole different generation of music lovers.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What Happened?!, October 12, 2003

By	Scott Woods (Columbus, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The first "Verve Remixed" was a winning collection of tracks that married old jazz standards with contemporary electro-heads in a sweltering combination of laid-back grooves and a nod to the history that begat the union to begin with. This second compilation isn't even close to being as engaging.

The key to the first record was "homage": The producers (for the most part) didn't try to tear the original songs apart. They seemed to be trying to figure out how some of the original artists might have re-envisioned the tracks if they were in their studio (again, for the most part); "if Nina Simone had access to an MPC2000, what might button might she push next?" That sort of thing.

The second record falls prey to the type of laziness that keeps many tribute/remix/homage records from actually being good, smart moves: the remixers look at the original source material as a new sample library to lift pieces from to add to already existing tracks that they've had sitting on the shelves or that they whipped up in a day. Where the first record had a number of tracks that sounded like a real attempt to marry the technology to the story and emotion of the original songs (Ella Fitzgerald's "Wait 'Till You See Him" and Nina Simone's "See-Line Woman" leap immediately to mind), the second is house music-by-numbers, when it isn't being merely boring.

The first record I could have given to someone who liked jazz (contemporary or traditional) with the faith and feeling that they would have gotten a kick out of at least half that record, and maybe even been turned on to the work of some of the remixers. This one would just get me blank stares.

If you bought this one first, you'll love the first one.
But just because you liked the first one doesn't mean you'll like the second.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ElectroJazz Revisited, February 23, 2004

By	Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Ever hear some music that is familiar yet undauntingly fresh , catchy and infectious that it rarley comes out of one your various CD players? Well that is exactly what happens when you listen to yet another fantastic offering from the Verve vaults of jazz classics. The reworking of the songs originally made famous by some of the jazz heavyweights(check out the names in parenthesis) breathes new life yet maintains much of the flavor of the originals resulting in a pleasing disc with integrity. The reconstruction, remixing and arranging is flat out cool. Some remixes are more exceptional than others. A few that come to mind are the tangoesque version of Sarah Vaughns "Whatever Lola Wants." Even if you have never heard the song it is guaranteed you will be singing along and groovin to the tune. Other faves include the Cuban influenced Dizzy Gillespie classsic "Manteca," Willie Bobo's soulful "Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries" with it's sabor Latino(Latin flavor) that barely detracts from the original version, the hyper-thump-thump beat of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman," the music dropping out of the bottom dub effects of Hugh Masekela's "Mama" and the bizarre shrill, high pitched revamping cry out of " watchiwara" on the mellow Latin jazz standard "Soul Sauce" driven by Cal Tjaders vibes. There is only one song that doesn't fit for my tastes, although I like the song, and that is the light airy Brazilian entry by Koop on Astrud Gilberto's "Here's That Rainy Day." Overall the disc achieves one of it's goals which is to expose jazz music to the dance generation. Being pretty familiar with most of the originals I found the remixes to be very satisfying as though resusitated by a breath of fresh air. I thouroughly enjoyed this disc as much as Verve Remixed 1 and quite possibly even more. Great art work cover too that is further detailed inside the disc with closeups of a Verve 8 track player with a piled on portable electric hot plate heating up some Verve food. If you like a plate of chill out, dance grooves served with a heaping serving of jazz classics than you'll love this disc. Highly recommended.