Adopting the blueprint for the musical ‘meeting of minds’ that was ‘The Philadelphia Experiment’, Detroit was the obvious choice for a follow-up, providing an opportunity for the Ropeadope label to continue their mission to highlight the rich, black musical heritage of America.
Co-producer of the previous ‘Experiment’ (the ever-versatile King Britt was also at the helm), Aaron Levinson teamed up with Detroit Techno legend Carl Craig to oversee the sessions which brought over three dozen musicians (all Motor City natives) to the fabled White Room Studio in the city’s downtown area.
Drawn from three generations of Detroit’s musical history, members of legendary bands such as The Blackbyrds, Parliament/Funkadelic, Sun Ra’s Arkestra joined sometime associates of Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye and Bob James. Added to this already stunning concoction were musicians involved with more recent names, The Roots, Slum Village, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Alton Miller. Examples to whet the appetite include Bennie Maupin, a veteran of Miles Davis’ ‘Bitches Brew Sessions’, sometime Parliament and Funkadelic member and keyboardist, Amp Fiddler as well as Roots drummer/producer, Karriem Riggins.
Such an ambitious project could easily have fallen foul to the ‘too many cooks’ syndrome, but it’s to the credit of Craig and Levinson that the result is a rewarding, rich tapestry of sound. Make no mistake, there are not merely undertones of jazz here, but rather examples of the genre in its true form - virtuoso performances of ‘proper’ instruments.
Opener, ‘Space Odyssey’ sets the scene, sci-fi synths meeting trumpet, fender rhodes and freestyle drumming. Other highlights include the slo-mo house groove of ‘Think Twice’, combining sax, trumpet and synths and under-pinned by an hypnotic fender rhodes loop, the inspirational piano-violin duet of ‘There Is A God’ and the futuristic hip-hop groove of ‘Vernors’.
Overall, the album is testament to the undeniable musical talent that has risen from a city blighted by economic and social depression. However, the mood here is celebratory rather than reflective, highlighting the myriad of styles - techno, house, jazz, hip-hop, funk and soul – to emerge from its urban landscape while successfully joining the dots between them, resulting in a highly successful ‘experiment’.
Reviewed by Colin Chapman
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