When I first started DJing and collecting music I loved a good compilation, especially as space was limited in those record bags and a few handy compilations offered all sorts of directional possibilities to explore and get out of jail options depending on the crowd's mood and demands. Not only that they were often filled with rare and expensive tunes, hand picked by some of the most knowledgeable diggers and collectors around all for €15, what wasn't to like?
In my later years I've been less reliant on them, especially as now I've got a lot of the music and I prefer to do my own digging and narrative creations. I don't even listen to radio shows any more and would like to think my sound is pretty much my own. But everyone now and then compilations come along that surprise, delight and educate in equal measures, and this Deep Jazz Series is amongst them.
The man behind the series is Jean Claude, a divisive character it's fair to say, who anyone who has been buying vinyl in London for the last 30 odd years has probably met. I first bumped into him when I was filling my nu-jazz boots at Release The Groove in Soho every couple of week, before he set up his own If Records store - sadly no longer with us in physical form but still supplying the choicest black gold online.
The first three albums were all impeccably selected, avoiding the jazz compilation cliches and offering up often next to impossible to find tunes spanning the jazz condition, and volume four is more of the same black belt curating. If you're reading this blog before the compilation's February 28th release date then you can already stream the first single and deeply soulful Afro-Funk gem from Ginger Baker and Fela Kuti, but hold tight for some deep, lush laid back grooves, funktified fusions and jazz dancers. This is all killer no filler, and if you're in any doubt then check out the first three volumes whilst you're waiting.
You need this (and the other three).
Playlist Companion
Find the Ginger Baker cut in the Slow Grooves Playlist and if you're on a jazz mission then look no further than the Slow Jazz Playlist.
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