The modern technique of combining the dead with the living in music is most often used for evil (
Nat King and
Natalie Cole dueting on "Unforgettable" anyone?). But on his fourth album,
Adam Dorn comes correct, combining the sampled flute chops of
Rahsaan Roland Kirk with the live playing of Frenchman Franck Gauthier of
Rinôçérôse on the oddly titled "Shamma Lamma Ding Dong." Odd because the music doesn't evoke the '50s doo wop implied by the name, but rather a groovy jazz trip in line with everyone from jazz great
Donald Byrd to modern architect
Carl Craig (specifically his
Detroit Experiement project).
The '40s to '60s jazz vibe is all over this record, with the ghost of
Nina Simone appearing on "Blackbird," in addition to a dozen living artists, including saxophonist
David "Fathead" Newman and vocalist
Ambrosia Parsley, the later of whom appears on one of the albums few non-jazz offerings, the
Lamb-esq melancholy of "I'll Take the Woods. Another jazz-less moment comes on the arid "Float," which features the formless voice of
Jane Monheit, as well as guitarist
Dan Seta, doing his best version of
U2's
The Edge à la
The Unforgettable Fire. All of which might be more or less compelling than the juke-joint rev-up of "Chick a Boom Boom Boom or "Right Now," depending on if you want to bop or drift. Either way,
Dorn offers exactly the mood you need. ~ Joshua Glazer