Jazz
Andrew Gouche - Bass
Charles Whitfield - A&R, Vocals
Craig T. Cooper - Guitar, Vocoder
Darryl Ross - Drum Programming, Horn Arrangements, Keyboard Programming, Mixing, Multi Instruments, Organ, Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
Dennis Nelson - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Frank Ski - Liner Notes, Vocals
Glen Brown - Vocals
Hollywood Paul Litteral - Horn, Trumpet, Trumpet (Muted)
Jeff Bradshaw - Piano (Electric), Trombone
Jeff Lorber - Fender Rhodes, Moog Synthesizer, Piano (Electric)
Jill Piano - A&R
Karen Briggs - Violin
Lou Taylor - Clarinet, Flute, Horn, Saxophone
Mike Parker - A&R, Vocals
Mike Phillips - Synthesizer Bass, Wind Controller
Patrice Rushen - Drums (Steel), Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer, Vibraphone
Peter Black - Guitar
Steve Baxter - Horn
Terry Thomas - Guitar (Rhythm)
Tony Joseph - Concept, Drum Programming, Executive Producer, Horn Arrangements, Mixing, Percussion, Producer, Vocals
* Darien Davis - Photography
* Doug Haverty - Art Direction, Design
* Gabriel Wallach - Assistant
* Kris Solem - Mastering
* Steve McKeever - Direction, Executive Producer, Liner Notes
* Thornell Jones - Art Direction, Marketing
* William Lucas - Mixing Engineer
On 2001's Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped, Vol. 1, a rotating group of jazz musicians offered smooth jazz interpretations of rap songs. Producers Tony Joseph and Darryl Ross' novel concept was that the only thing wrong with rap music was, well, the rap part. You'd have thought that an idea so silly would be laughed off, but there is no accounting for the taste of smooth jazz fans, and the album actually topped Billboard's contemporary jazz chart for three weeks, offering commercial justification for a second volume. "Jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, it's all the same music," proclaims disc jockey Frank-Ski at the outset, articulating another silly idea. Of course, much of the musical background of rap songs tends to be constructed out of borrowings or outright samples from other songs, and when you strip off the rap, you are left with those tunes. Thus, Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" minus Coolio is Stevie Wonder's song "Pastime Paradise," and "Summertime" minus Will Smith's rap is Kool & the Gang's song "Summertime." Here, the former is paced by Karen Briggs' agitated violin improvisations, while the latter spotlights contributions from Hidden Beach saxophonist Mike Phillips and keyboardist Jeff Lorber. The album offers the same appeal as a 101 Strings treatment of Beatles songs -- it allows people who have been bombarded by popular music on the radio in their cars, their children's bedrooms, and the mall, to hear what for them are more palatable versions of necessarily familiar songs. Finally, rap music for people who don't like rap It's still a silly idea, but obviously a commercial one. This limited-edition version contains a second disc featuring a promotional rap, two extra tracks, a live version of one of the other songs, and a computer-animated video starring a scantily clad woman with dragonfly wings.
---William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide |
