js
By the time 2000 had rolled around, this sort of mix of house, jazz, dub and hip-hop had been done for a while, with the novelty wore off the emphasis now was on how well do you do it. On “Tourist”, Ludovic Navarre seamlessly mixes the elements in smooth ways that make early attempts to bridge house and jazz sound amateur. Opening cut “Rose Rouge” is a fine example as the beat slowly morphs from swing to ambient house and back again, slowly shifting like an aural hallucination. Subtlety is the key to this CD, the house and dub beats are unobtrusive and the jazz solos fit well with the music and never sound pointlessly flashy or gratuitous.
Some standout tracks on this album include “Land of …” where a Cypress Hill beat is topped with an irresistible horn riff that recalls the JB’s “Same Beat” and “La Goutte D” where an authentic dub groove lays the foundation for Indian flavored flute solos. Throughout this album Edourd Labor’s excellent woodwind playing keeps the songs interesting and energetic. This is a great CD, tasteful club and dub beats that are never too plastic, mixed with jazz solos that fit well with the music they are riding on.
