Before jumping into the review, I must admit that I know only a few of the originals. Aside from being an embarrassing poor reflection on my jazz knowledge, it means that I'm approaching most of these covers without any context on the originals.
Case in point is Boogie Stop Shuffle. Mingus' hard-bop jazz is usually a bit too "out there" for me, but this injection of ska works brings it to life for me. Although it smooths out the original with its fantastic groove, the abrupt transitions are still present, nicely retaining some of the quirkiness of the original style.
The oddball theme is also put to great use in Wicked, which features a seriously funky vibe.
Linecheck Samurai cranks the energy higher, with it's jazzy-ska chaotic madness. Like Skazz at their rollicking best, the energy is wonderfully infectious. There's a lot in common with Skazz (not surprising I guess, given the name!), with Red Eye also sounding similar to a typical Skazz ballad.
I never thought a 5/4 time signature could possibly work for a ska song. But the band have somehow squeezed Take Five into a 1-drop style and the result is stunning. Even if it wasn't a cover of one of my all-time favourite songs, it would be a fantastic song in its own right. This version brings to the table a zinging guitar riff and the warm, crackling fill of a hammond organ. I guess this now means that Take Five is now two of my all-time favourite songs!
Similarly inspired is You Are My Love, which sounds to me like a pretty generic soap-opera theme. However, their infectious style has turned it into something unique and fantastic. Similarly, Feel Da Vibe is a well executed rocksteady instrumental. A personal highlight is the jazz flute sitting very nicely over the top.
Despite its ridiculously happy outlook, I just can't get into the reggae version of Welcome. But then Go Home has a similar approach and I really enjoy it, so there's no logical explanation. The backing horn parts are a highlight of Go Home, adding a rich level of layering. Finally (for this jumbled-up review, not the album itself), Kansas City does a great job at blurring the offbeat line between ska and r'n'b. Either way, it's a ball of fun.
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