QUINCY JONES AND BILL COSBY - THE NEW MIXES, VOL. 1

Wow! At the risk of regurgitating the entire press release, I have to explain a little of this album\'s history for you to fully appreciate it. From 1969 to 1979, Bill Cosby and Quincy Jones worked together on The Bill Cosby Show. As the program\'s musical director, Jones assembled a prominent group of jazz and funk musicians-- including Milt Jackson, Ernie Watts, Jimmy Smith, and others-- to contribute to the show. Apparently, Mr. Jones made a habit of running a tape recorder, which captured a number of informal jams and Cosby\'s comedic vocal cameos. Thirty years later, the recordings were released to the public as Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby: The Original Jam Sessions 1969.
The New Mixes, Vol. 1 is a companion of sorts, which pays homage to the original album. Thirteen contemporary artists have taken their cues from the past masters to create their own slices of funky jazz heaven. Tracks like Los Amigos Invisibles\' \"Pelando\" and Herbert\'s \"(Matthew Herbert\'s) Technically Amateur Mix\" are perfect examples of the new mixes. Keep that in mind: these are new mixes, not remixes. Producer Marc Cazorla made a conscious decision to stay away from merely remixing old work.
The one exception to this rule is one of the best songs on the disc: Mix Master Mike\'s \"Hikky-Burr (Remix)\". It\'s a fascinating track originally written by Cosby and Jones, which features Cosby\'s voice. Luckily, the original (and equally as interesting), \"Hikky-Burr Featuring Bill Cosby\", makes an appearance, as well as a bonus track at the end of the CD.
It\'s well worth your while to explore The Original Jam Sessions 1969, with its classic funk and jazz sounds. Then listen to its evolution on The New Mixes, Vol. 1. Cazorla\'s goal was to make people more aware of \"...the impact that jazz has had on modern music.\" I\'d say The New Mixes, Vol. 1 hits the nail on the head.