The Intersection: Red Snapper

The Intersection looks at artists that blend jazz with electronica (a tradition pioneered by none other than Miles Davis on such classic recordings as On the Corner).

This week's focus is Red Snapper.

Like fellow Brits, The Cinematic Orchestra, electronica trio Red Snapper has fashioned a jazz-tinged sound through an expert blend of acoustic instruments and electronic textures. Founded in 1993 by guitarist David Ayers, double bassist Ali Friend and drummer Richard Thair, Red Snapper has (with some lineup changes along the way) explored acid jazz, trip hop and IDM styles on five albums, including Prince Blimey (’96), Making Bones (’98), Our Aim is to Satisfy (’00), Red Snapper (’03) and Pale Blue Dot (’08).

Prince Blimey, Red Snapper’s debut on Warp Records, established the group’s sound, which places heavy emphasis on throbbing double bass lines and detail-oriented drum patterns. Unfortunately the rhythm section is so strong that whatever is added to its scaffolding can sometimes feel like an afterthought. Thankfully, the alchemy works like a charm more often than not. On tracks like “3 Strikes and You’re Out,” “Thomas the Fib” and “Digging Doctor What What” the jazz noir atmospherics and forceful forward thrust of the grooves make for an entrancing listening experience. As for the guest appearances, they range from impressive (Ollie Moore’s saxophone on “Thomas the Fib”) to the merely acceptable (Anne Haigh’s vocal on “The Paranoid”). Overall, Prince Blimey is an impressive debut album that hasn't dated as much as some electronica albums of the mid '90s.

On Making Bones, Red Snapper simultaneously expanded its stylistic pallet (hip-hop, drum’n’bass, punk, soul and dub) and strengthened its sound. Again, Ayers (guitar), Friend (bass) and Thair (drums) amply demonstrate how live instrumentation can build a better groove than a sampler can – especially when the musicians have a strong feel for jazz. Witness the monster groove on the hip-hop/drum’n’bass frankentrack “The Sleepless” (with MC Det on the mic). Another creative high point is “4 Dead Monks,” which blends several layers of guitar (including Spanish) with trumpet, bass, electronics and drums. On “Crease,” the groove underpins some cinematic strings and a mood of escalating action and danger.

Much like its predecessor, Our Aim is to Satisfy, explores a number of popular styles (big beat, hard rock, soul jazz) without losing sight (or sound) of the massive grooves that make Red Snapper so exciting. On “Bussing,” the sound incorporates scratches, alongside a bit of cinematic mood setting by brass and rhythm guitar. On “Shellback,” a grim gritty mood established by a ponderous beat and squelchy samples are aided and abetted by vocalist Karime Kendra, who also delivers diva-big on a breakbeat disco track, “The Rough and the Quick.” For all of its style hopping, Red Snapper always returns to the cinematic noir jazz sound that is its bread and butter, and this album’s “Keeping Pigs Together” is as absorbing and exciting as Red Snapper gets.

After a bit of a break, Red Snapper returned with an eponymously titled album that favors its noir jazz sound – imagine Lalo Schifrin’s Dirty Harry soundtracks redone for the electronica crowd. Surging brass, intricate keyboard and guitar textures supported by Red Snapper’s patented drum’n’bass foundation make tracks such as “Regrettable” and “Mountains and Valleys” so transporting. The production of the record also reflects the rapid advances in studio electronics. One listen to “Hot Flush” clearly shows how digital editing tools allow relatively traditional musicians (who play real instruments, and not just samplers and drum machines) can use electronics to expand their god-given abilities.

After a few years off, Red Snapper returned with Pale Blue Dot, an energetic album by clearly revitalized musicians whose instrumental chops are equally matched by their compositional skills. The addition of Tom Challenger on sax and melodica made a big difference. For proof, check out the propulsive and intriguing “Lagos Creepers” and the hard-edged “Wanga Doll”. As on the Red Snapper album, Pale Blue Dot favors noir jazz feeling over style hopping. So, while earlier albums such as Making Bones and Our Aim is to Satisfy offer great variety, the group’s later albums are more effective at exploring the group’s cinematic side. Just listen to the impromptu and enthusiastic hollering in the background on “Wanga Doll” and you can hear how much fun these guys are having – and you will too when you explore the sounds of Red Snapper.

Next week: Squarepusher

The Intersection: Skalpel

The Intersection is a new feature on JazzWrap that looks at artists that blend jazz with electronica (a tradition pioneered by none other than Miles Davis on such classic recordings as On the Corner).

This week's focus is Skalpel.

Sounding a little bit like label mates The Cinematic Orchestra, the Polish DJ/production duo known as Skalpel has made no secret of its affection for smoky '60s/'70s jazz.

On the group's eponymous Ninja Tune debut, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo deliver an atmospheric 4-deck mix of obscure samples and breaks re-imagined for the 21st century. It's a well-crafted cut-n-paste homage to a legendary era of Polish jazz.

Skalpel's second album, Konfusion, blends nu-jazz groove production with old school musicianship, creating a vibe so cool it will appeal to beatheads and neo beatniks alike. Forgive the hyperbole. Just trust that the deep bass lines, hypnotic rhythms and cut-n-paste cinematic atmospherics make this a highly compelling listen. Plus, it's nice to know that these guys are celebrities in Poland, which means there's hope for modern music after all.

Konfusion comes with a bonus CD of remixes of tracks from Skalpel's eponymous debut, but at a regular single CD price. Among the remixers are Quantic, Backini and the Amalgamation of Soundz.

Next week: Jaga Jazzist

The Intersection: The Cinematic Orchestra

The Intersection is a new feature on JazzWrap that looks at artists that blend jazz with electronica (a tradition pioneered by none other than Miles Davis on such classic recordings as On the Corner).

This week's focus is The Cinematic Orchestra.

The Cinematic Orchestra (TCO) creates highly evocative imaginary soundtracks. TCO incorporates much live instrumentation in addition to samples and drum loops. A rotating cast of players on piano, sax, trumpet, electric and acoustic bass fill out the ambient drum&bass compositions by Jason Swinscoe. Not unlike the modal jazz masterpiece Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, Motion coheres beautifully from track to track, offering a seamless listening experience. Combining jazz and funk in a moody, semi-orchestrated fashion, tracks such as "Ode to the Big Sea" and "Channel 1 Suite" deliver the listener into a cinematic state of mind. The only title to make reference to a movie ("Night of the Iguana") actually has nothing to do with the Tennessee Williams' play/movie from whence its title comes.

TCO's Remixes album includes just one Cinematic Orchestra original ("Channel 1 Suite") in addition to TCO's "remixes, extended versions and interpretations" of other artists' material. Pieces by Faze Action, Les Gammas, Kenji Eno and others get the CO treatment, while CO itself gets remixed by Tom Tyler. One of these tracks, a remix of Piero Umiliani's "Panoramica", appeared on Easy Tempo Experience 3. The tracks don't cohere quite as effectively as on Motion, and the degree of cinematic atmosphere is lessened overall, but it's an intriguing listen nevertheless.

Fans of the Cinematic Orchestra's full length debut Motion would not be disappointed by its long-awaited follow-up, Everyday.

Swinscoe's group just may be the perfect example of soundtrack-influenced trip hop/downtempo/nu jazz school of electronic music, pioneered by its record label Ninja Tune.

There are seven tracks here (one for every day?) and each offers compelling evidence of the aforementioned claim. TCO's modus operandi is for Swinscoe to provide a compelling sample for his musicians to play around. As always, the samples that are uniformally serious, never glib or kitschy.

Vigorous drumming lays the bedrock for the jams as bass, horns and keyboards add rich harmonic interplay to complement Swinscoe's samples. At times, the mood is so serious as to sound like something by Philip Glass or Steve Reich, but without the rigor or repetition.

Swinscoe adds a new wrinkle on Everyday, namely the use of vocals by Fontella Bass ("All that You Give" and "Evolution") and Roots Manuva ("All Things to All Men"). While this promises to be a distraction from the music's soundtracky vibe, it proves a good fit after all.

TCO step out with their most ambitious offering yet, a new soundtrack for Dziga Vertov's 1929 silent film Man with a Movie Camera. Swinscoe and company originally intended the score to be a one-off live performance, but ended up performing it at film festivals from Turkey to Scotland.

Presented on CD, free of its formal association, TCO's Man with a Movie Camera is an absorbing listening experience. But for the ultimate experience, the DVD version -- which pairs the music to the film and adds video clips of the band interviews and live performances -- is truly the way to experience the music. The presentation is fantastic.

Like other TCO recordings, this one places heavy emphasis on atmosphere -- tracks develop slowly. Live drumming, double bass, strings predominate, complimented with subtle electronics, the occasional woodwind or horn and electric keyboards. The mood is quiet, hypnotic and intense.

Four years later, TCO recorded an imaginary soundtrack called Ma Fleur, each of its 10 tracks representing a different scene — some featuring mellow vocals by Patrick Watson, Fontella Bass and Lou Rhodes.

Fans of the group will immediate appreciate the album's elegant, languid arrangements featuring horns, acoustic guitar, piano and strings. The jazzier, more rhythmical elements found on earlier albums has all but disappeared, giving way to more spacious, ambient sounds. This may prove disappointing to fans looking for something fast and frenetic, but it's Sunday morning music at its most mellow.

In 2008, TCO released Live at Royal Albert Hall, a concert that favored their newer material and amply demonstrates their instrumental chops more than most electro-jazz groups.

(Some content originally appeared on the author's website www.ScoreBaby.com)

Next week: Skalpel