Remember 90’s hip-hop? Both the east and west coasts were bringing you serious audible pleasure, or “Flavor in Ya Ear,” as Craig Mack said. In the west, you had the G-funk, or gangsta-funk, which brought you funk music samples, multi-layered, melodic synths, while riding on slow hypnotic grooves of drums and deep bass. Its champion? Dr. Dre, aka “father of G-funk.” The 90’s were a vital period in hip-hop’s history, and here at colectivo futuro, we concede that the most notable group of that time frame was the Wu-Tang Clan. Representing the east coast, specifically New York’s Staten Island borough, the Wu-Tang Clan stepped onto the hip-hop scene, wielding their lyrical swords with the same precision as fighters from a martial arts movie – which inspired the group’s name.

Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 chambers) LP followed their immense single in which they alerted you to “Protect Ya Neck”. The clan definitely had you protecting that neck – the distinct lyrical assault their nine MCs were going to deliver was definitely something that was about to turn you on your head. They were raw and fearless in their approach. When speaking of 90’s hip-hop, especially production wise, we have to point to its distinct sampling of jazz records. Needless to say, jazz and hip-hop go hand in hand. Both genres rest on the syncopated rhythms of drums to carry trumpet melodies or deliver lyrics. For comparison’s sakes one can contend that if anyone was as vital and distinctive to the jazz genre as was the Clan to hip-hop, that would have no doubt be Blue Note Records.

Established in 1939, Blue Note Records not only brought you some of the finest records that jazz had ever heard, but it also brought you beautiful cover art designed by Reid Miles. A career graphic designer, Reid joined Blue Note Records in 1955 to design album covers after working for Esquire magazine. Miles’ graphical design work for Blue Note is to this day some of the most highly regarded and respected cover art work in music history. This brings us to the purpose of this post, since here at the colectivo we are committed to sharing with you all good things audible and visual, it is a must that we share the Shaolin Jazz project, or as NPR called it: Where the Wu-Tang Clan Meets Jazz.

Shaolin Jazz: The 37^th Chamber is the meticulous union of musical selections from the legendary jazz label with one of the most significant groups in hip-hop culture. And the conductor taking us on this excursion of carefully crafted vocals, jazz tracks, and chopped up samples, is DJ 2-Tone Jones. An Atlanta native now residing in the nation’s capital, DJ 2-Tone Jones rocks many hats. Aside from catching him spinning at numerous venues throughout the D.C. area, you can hear him rock the speakers on Ill Street Grooves radio show on D.C.’s own WPFW 89.3 FM/Pacifica Radio. Additionally, 2-Tone is a member of a cutting edge art troupe/marketing group known as AM Radio: Artwork Mbilashaka. But it was Gerald Watson, a lifestyle-marketing agent, who initiated the concept of shaolin jazz. The idea was conceived after interviewing Logan Walters, a graphic designer and the curator of a series of jazz inspired Wu-Tang album covers entitled Wu-Note (most of which you can see sprayed out on this post). Watson soon reached out to DJ 2-Tone, a long time colleague, and when presented with the idea, he immediately jumped on board. Watson then went back to Walters to kick off the project and the rest is musical history!

you can download Shaolin Jazz – The 37th Chamber here. It includes 13 tracks, alongside liner notes, art work, and track credentials.