As it turns out, this first installment of SSM’s Album Picks is about a collection of releases, a series entitled “Jazz is Dead.” Los Angeles musician and producer Adrian Younge, with his steady collaborator Ali Shaheed Muhammad (of A Tribe Called Quest fame), began with Jazz is Dead 1, a team effort with old-school luminaries Gary Bartz, Roy Ayers, Brian Jackson, and Doug Carn. Brazilian flavor was injected via Marcos Valle, Joao Donato, and Azymuth.
As the “Jazz is Dead” series has unfolded over the summer months, we see that 1 was a sampler, followed by Roy Ayers: Jazz is Dead 2 and Marcos Valle: Jazz is Dead 3. Expect more to follow.
Having followed Adrian Younge’s career since his 2011 Something About April release, I’m convinced that he is one of the most quietly influential producers of his generation. Hear my Fall 2018 interview with him here: tinyurl.com/soulshowadrianyounge
Mike Canton is the longtime host and producer of The Soul Show, from 2-5 p.m. Saturdays on 91.3FM WYEP. He recently launched a syndicated edition of the program, now airing in three markets, and is also a Pittsburgh-area voice artist.
