This collection seemed written in the stars for quite some time. We are fortunate to be living through a vibrant jazz scene with one foot in tradition but mutual eyes fixed firmly on the future. Across its 16 tracks, Blue Note Re:Imagined reinforces how bright the future is.
All the leading lights are here: Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings, Ezra Collective and Jordan Rakei all give worthy reinterpretations of some classics. However, it’s in the more unexpected and emerging works that this project truly shines.
Jorja Smith’s take of St Germain club classic Rose Rogue adds some vocal star power, Ishamel Ensemble give an almost trip-hop feel to McCoy Tyner’s Search for Peace and Skinny Pelembe’s sparse, electro inflected take on Andrew Hill’s Illusion (Silly Apparition) is understated in its euphoria. Some saw this as sacrilege, the rest of us just marvelled at its promise.