Soul Express CD Review

Having just written a review of an excellent soul album by the legendary Unifics, I hastily get to work on reviewing an excellent jazz album from no other that Skip Martin. We all know and love this man from his wonderful work with The Dazz Band and Kool & The Gang, as well as his past two solo albums but this time the man gets horny in a different sense. Skip picks up his trumpet and dedicates his craft to the late, great Miles Davis. What Skip does with this CD is to mould a brilliant and eclectic mix of heavy, funky beats, with soulful undertones and on one occasion a seriously sexy moment. Skip, basically, drops us a superb and rather enthusiastic jazz set that would not have been out of place with the much-lamented MoJazz label. This is standing shoulder to shoulder with Eddie M’s "Ward Street" and perhaps the more inspired and funky offerings from Pharez Whitted.

Every track is a winner for me – something you will not read often when I am addressing today’s "jazz" scene! If Miles has dropped into the atmosphere to check out the CD I would lay money down that he is pleased with it. The opening instrumental screams at us with horns and then hits the ground running with a delivery that I feel owes a great deal to the legendary Herb Alpert … racy, loose, funky yet somehow tight. Having had my palette wetted by this tasty morsel I was thrilled to hear this duet with another hero of mine, Ronnie Laws, who without fuss or nonsense adds his instantly recognisable sax to the mix.

The first seriously funky offering is the intriguingly titled "Apropos". I didn’t think anybody used that word bar me, so at least I know there are at the least 2 of us! The horns are tighter that the clasp of a Scotsman’s purse, and the almost sinister chanting in the background – Buddhist? – adds a real gritty aftertaste. The funky late 80s style beats and synth stabs spar perfectly with the horn and piano. There is, much to my delight, a vocal version of this song featuring the SUPERB voice talent of poetess Bronze Paragon. More about this Lady later on, I promise.

The song that first attracted my attention when I selected it on CD Baby was "Are You Ready". This is a half sung semi instrumental in a classic Dazz Band fashion. I instantly fell head over wallet for this song and the deal was clinched by Skip’s superb and distinctive vocals paired with his brilliant horn playing. This track, like the others on offer here is very honest inasmuch as it shows us that Skip has been gagging to do an album like this for years, and boy, is he having a ball on this set. This song is seriously sexy, jazzy and comes highly recommended.

To follow is a brilliant instrumental which has The Dazz Band written all over it. Fans of Herb Alpert will die for this slice of top-notch sound of summer, doused in soulful vibes and jazzy flourishes. We have, as you would expect, a tribute to Mr. Davis himself in the form of "Miles High". Sounds like a great name for a Jazz College to me – any takers out there?! If you like Miles Davis then you will love that. Enough said, really. I was quite pleased for a jazzy version of "You Are My Starship" which is mainly based on the version incorporated into the 2001 "Time Traveller" CD (also available on CD Baby), so this is an interesting slant on their version.

I have listed to this CD many times. You have to get used to the tracks, the feelings and try and pick up on the intentions and aspirations of the artist and musicians. Imagine, then, when I first heard the vocal version of "Are You Ready". This, again, features poetess Bronze Paragon but whereas "Apropos" is spiritually based this time Bronze is expounding in an extremely sensual, soulful and sexual mood. The words paint a very erotic picture – perhaps not the best thing to listen to for the first time when pootling around a busy roundabout like an errant dodgem car! This is one hell of an intelligent, sexy and sensuous oration and after hearing this song all I wanted was this Lady’s phone number!!! Delivery of this beautiful poetic song is very, very in the bag of Kim Fields aka Mocha Soul; you may remember her from 2003’s Impromp2 album. An essential track.

If that doesn’t get the old blood pressure up a bit then the SUPERB funker "Old School Rules" will get your juices flowing. This has to be played loud, loud, LOUD! More jazzy and traditional is the "short but sweet "Moon Splash" and loping, spasmodic shuffler, "Monster Bites". I can feel the love and fun poured into every track by Skip and his guest musicians and the end result is simply amazing. I cannot recommend this album enough and those who purport to be jazz artists should at some point stop and take a listen as many out there could learn a heck of a lot from this CD. Mandatory soul, fund and…Jazz!
- Barry Towler