CD Review: Nicci Cheeks Presents… Hip Hop Love Jazz

The pointless thought of the day can only be: "Is there a porn star called Nikki Cheeks?" That question aside, some of you may fear that Nicci Cheeks Presents… Hip Hop Love Jazz is connected to Smooth (formerly Jazz) FM. You’ll be relieved to find that it’s safely removed from that. And this is not some new way to market what was once called ‘Acid Jazz’ - no one tends to use that term now anyway.

Hip Hop Love Jazz (released on Monday) is simply 22 tracks of different artists creating a fine balance between hip hop and jazz. Groovy contemporary beats blended with musical traditions of the past (trumpets, saxophone, double bass etc), creating an ode to the masters of yesteryear. Over the top of this, we get the quality rapping associated with Mos Def, with generally the same lyrical depth.

Though slightly repetitive, Hanif-jamiyl’s Hot Nights, Cold Days
makes the sort of incisive commentary Hip Hop badly needs. "Turn on
your radio all you hear is yo yo yo, blah blah blah, I got cars, I got
hoes, I’m a star". So well put, you wonder why no one has had voiced
that before.

Kim Hill’s Nutshell has a wonderfully spacey-funky bassline with a
minimal electronic beat. In the background lurks a sinister Hammond organ loop, which works to give the song a constant sense of rhythm.

Returning to the masters of jazz, ed/ge’s Quasimodo conjures up John Coltrane and Miles Davis
warming up before one of their legendary sessions. But this is built on the type of beat DJ Shadow is so famous for. Throw in a fat double bass and the words ‘mild’ and ‘late-night’ come to mind.

There are notable weaknesses to the collection. Underdog’s Theme (by The Underdog Sound) seems
to be misplaced. It feels more in the terrain of R&B than the genres on display here. It lacks
hip hop beats and even a hint of jazz. And though Remember When, (J Rawls featuring Liquid
Crystal Project and BJ Digby), may have the right feel to the album,
it’s just a not very worthy song, padding out the track listing.

Don’t be put off by the naff-sounding concept. Hip Hop Love Jazz works very well.
Consider it like a New Labour metaphor, an updating of traditional jazz
values in a modern hip hop context. However, this has real depth and
soul, so the lame comparisons end there. Play it after dark and rest in
the knowledge that you have expanded your musical vocabulary for the
better.

Search for the cheapest place to buy Nicci Cheeks Presents… Hip Hop Love Jazz at Kelkoo.co.uk

Also released on Monday:

The Voices: The Voices - A collection of droney songs that sound exactly - exactly - the same as Spaceman 3. But since when has that ever been a bad thing? And anyway, it’s the law that all songs called Mi Casa Su Casa must be brilliant. (website)

Reculver: Wake Up Call (Single) - Bruce Forsyth’s grandsons rock the fuck out. Much better than we’ve made it sound, and not nearly as shambling as Brucie on Strictly Come Dancing. (website)

[main review by Jack Johnson]