breakbeats on web

JASON BRANCAZIO (jbrancazio@mail.hamquist.com)
23 Aug 1995 17:02:34 -0800


Subject: Time: 5:37 =
PM
OFFICE MEMO breakbeats on web Date: =
8/23/95

Elson - do you mind posting that www site for Coldcut?

Speaking of which, I recently bought their self-titled album. After =
hearing their track on Ninja Cuts vol. 1 (or at least one of their =
tracks, I don't know how many they had on there because my CD was =
stolen...) I figured I'd buy the album someday....it's not what I =
expected, there are a lot of vocals and I don't like vocals that much. =
However, because of the excellent production and quality of the singer's =
voice, this album does make a good buy...

As far as the current hip hop talk goes...I figured now's as good a time =
as ever to chime in....first of all, haven't we all had this conversation =
a million times before? Hip hop isn't rap, and rap is a part of a hip =
hop culture yadda yadda yadda. What I've noticed in people's posts on =
this subject is that there is a tendency to classify music as 'underground=
' or 'mainstream'. Which makes me rethink the question posed to the list =
about the defining characteristics of the acid jazz community (which =
nobody has decided to mention at all). When you really boil it down, I =
think there is a direct division within the community of people who love =
this music...those who love its 'underground' nature and those who love =
it simply because the good releases are truly GOOD pieces of music, new =
and fresh sounds in a time when many people think the evolution of music =
(as a form of expression) has come to an end. This is not to say that =
one can't be both; I just am saying if you classify the acid jazz =
community as a bunch of people with expensive clothes and a general 'hip' =
sensibility, who are constantly seeking to be more 'underground' than one =
another, you will miss a whole section of the people that really love =
this music for its own sake. In fact, I really don't think there are =
that many people who listen to this music just because it's 'cool'....I =
think most people who find acid jazz or its cousin (tr oh no can I type =
this term tri trip trip hop) find it very stimulating and musically =
challenging, or find that they love to dance to it, or.....you fill in =
the blank.....we're all on this list because we like a type of music (or =
a collection of related types) with a nondescriptive name....maybe we can =
hone in on the questions we always discuss by telling everyone what it is =
that we actually like about acid jazz.

Any thoughts?

Jay B