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40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Re-Surrection?, September 9, 2008
Naked Music, the once-prolific midtempo-and-deep-house label that took the electronica world by storm at the turn of the century, is essentially dead. Bruno Ybarra, the founding member, executive producer and DJ whose name should be familiar to anyone who ever browsed a Naked Music album liner, has left the label for a corporate job at Apple. Stuart Patterson, who designed the label's distinctive artwork from its conception through 2002, departed to start his own logo company. Miguel Migs has defected to his personal label, Salted Music, taking Lisa Shaw and Lysa "Aya" Trenier with him; adding insult to injury, the trio's last album, Those Things, was distributed through Naked Music's rival trip-hop/house label, OM Records. Gaelle seems more interested in urban agriculture than in music these days, and Gabriel "Aquanote" Rene has apparently fallen off the face of the earth. As a result the label, which had a teeming roster of artists and killer compilations coming out of its ears in the first half of this decade, has just about ground to a halt: the most recent non-Blue Six artist LP, Lisa Shaw's Cherry, was released three years ago; and the most recent compilation, the unorthodox Lost on Arrival, was released a whopping FIVE years ago.
The chief survivor of this attrition is Jay Denes, who to his credit is soldiering on. He could have just released this as his third album under his Blue Six moniker, but instead decided to market it as a "collection" credited to the whole label ... even though at this point the "whole label" pretty much boils down to him and his few collaborators in Blue Six.
Along for the ride on Re-Creation are aging jazz/blues chanteuse Catherine Russell and guitarist/vocalist Mark Anthony Jones, both of whom have been with Jay since the Naked Music NYC days. Absent are Shaw, Trenier, and Monique Bingham; instead we have newcomer Tabitha Fair, whose previous work was doing vocal work for TV commercials and video games. This is actually pretty typical, as Jay has always shown a knack for coaxing Naked Music's distinctive vocals out of the most unlikely places. (If you don't believe me, go to MySpace and listen to Catherine Russell's bawdy, old-timey solo work, and try to reconcile that with the sultry sexpot behind "Music & Wine.")
So how is Re-Creation? Not bad. Jay's talent for wrapping his sensual funk and groovy beats around compelling nu-soul vocals is what sparked Naked Music in the first place, and he's still got his old mojo. I think a lot of people were disappointed by Aquarian Angel, expecting another densely percussive dancefloor-filler like Beautiful Tomorrow, and instead getting quiet, nuanced soul more suited to headphones than the hi-fi. Re-Creation is a lot closer to Aquarian Angel in its restraint and its minimalism, but also brings back some of Beautiful Tomorrow's catchy hooks. If a parallel can be drawn anywhere in Jay's discography, however, it is to the lo-fi dub of What's On Your Mind?, the original Naked Music album. Regression seems a curious choice for an album promising a "re-creation," but there it is.
Naked Music has always been one of my favorite musical phenomena, and no one would be happier than me about its resurgence. But I just don't think this album has the power to do it. Not even close. What we have here, I believe, is not a re-creation; it's a eulogy.
RIP Naked Music. You will be missed.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Elegant, July 8, 2008
Jay Denes is a first class producer/writer who has obviously lovingly crafted each and every song on this album with his unique brand of soul, feeling and passion.
My special loves include the ever sultry 'Pleasure Seeker' seductive 'Hurry' heartwarming 'This Time Around' and hip grooving 'Samba Contigo'.
Re-creation is a fitting anniversary album for the Naked Music label, as it perfectly embodies Naked's elegant evolving sound. It's sophisticated lush layers, carefully executed production, artful lyrics and smooth vocals all stand way, way, WAY out there, especially in this tragic age of mediocre, trend driven music.
Thank you for keeping it real and deep Naked Music!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astonishing and sensual, July 10, 2008
Jay aka Blue six should made every year an album for us. Every his creation is a sensual jewell. Bravo Jay!!!!!
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