Ronny Jordan - Off the Record

The funkified British-born electric guitarist was there in the early '90s as one of the leaders of what became the acid jazz movement, and he came along in early 2000 to point the way to A Brighter Day, which blended some of those old sensibilities with more modern R&B and some smooth jazz elements. The explosive sense of retro-funk and cool returns here, and if it weren't for a few silly, self-indulgent moments, this disc would be near perfect. On "Get Ready! (Intro)," he jams coolly on wah-wah over a crunchy shuffle groove as rapper Love Child introduces the band and the cross-racial appeal of this music (which is unnecessary given the liner notes and the broad appeal of this sound). Read More