Review

Pulp Fusion: The Return Of The Original Ghetto Jazz & Funk Classics (Harmless)

To mark the fifteenth anniversary of Harmless records, veteran DJ and famed label manager of Acid Jazz, Dean Rudlandd has compiled a stonker of a platter mixing classic jazz funk nuggets with lesser known rarities. Near on two hours of the stuff for you to gorge on so let's begin the first course.

Evergreen 'Always There' (a safe bet if ever there was one) still sounds as fresh as a daisy with it's insistent groove and clattering timbales. Ronnie Laws version (and the original) can't be bettered although Willie Bobo's comes close. Jazz funk heads catered for straight off!

Continuing in that vein, Dexter Wansel's classic 'Life On My Mars', a jazz funk giant that cheekily takes Miles Davis's 'So What' theme out into the atmosphere and get's a right good kicking. Check Derek Graves rollicking bassline too, aaah, those were the days my friend! How about a retrospective compilation of this Philly great Deano? As Mc Neat once said "I'm loving it, loving it , loving it!"

'Super Strut' with it's glorious three chord rhodes groove, will send you off to the highest of heavens. You'll know doubt hear a certain similarity to one of Jamiroquai's hits here and who can blame JK, it's ripe for the taking!!

Nice to see Bobby Womack's 'Inherit The Wind' included 'He's Back In Fashion Don't You Know?' Due to his riveting performance on the Guerillas' 'Stylo' - pure classy stuff and Wilton Felder's imperious tenor sax blows all over this like confetti at a glitzy wedding. Billy Paul's 'We All Got A Mission' makes an appearance too with this discofied ditty and so the beat goes on, this compilation is a massive trip down memory lane - yes there are some cheesy ones here but I'm generally quite happy to take you by the hand and lead you into the land of plenty. The fruits of the loom are all around us on this one!
Words Emrys Baird