Del featuring Souls of Mischief - Burnt: Had to take it back to the early 90's with this great posse cut, it's one from the Hiero catalog that is overlooked due to it's rareness. Every now and then I miss the sound of full, layered drum breaks and jazz loops as hip hop, plus rhymes that come of as real poetic and clever as these guys displayed on this track. It's a nice look back at the style and standard of writing/creativity MCs were on back then, such as UMCs, Zhigge, ATCQ, Fu Schnickens, Black Sheep etc.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nym30minqmn


Cal Tjader - Solar Heat (1968): One of my feel-good, summer jazz songs of the week. I love the uplifting, mellow vibraphone sound heard in Cal Tjader's music and many other jazz artists who released work in the 70's, this is a large element of the jazz-fusion sound found in Solar Heat. There is a little Latin influence when I hear this due to the rhythm and percussion work used by Ray Barreto, this sets a nice vibe and energetic pace for the song which balances well with the other traditional jazz elements presented. Bump this one on a nice summer day, that's the image I get from listening to the song and the title is also an example of this feeling.

Personnel: Cal Tjader, Gary McFarland (vibraphone); Joao Donato (organ); Mike Abene (electric piano, harpsichord); Bobby Rodriguez, Chuck Rainey (bass); Grady Tate (drums); Ray Barreto, Orestes Vilato (percussion).