Nu Blaxploitation
| Nu Blaxploitation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Genre | Jazz, hip hop[1] | |||
| Label | Blue Note[2] | |||
| Producer | Don Byron | |||
| Don Byron chronology | ||||
| ||||
Nu Blaxploitation is an album by the American musician Don Byron, released in 1988.[3][4] Byron is credited with his band, Existential Dred.[5]
Production
The poet Sadiq Bey performed on many of the tracks.[6] Biz Markie contributed rap verses to "Schizo Man".[7] Reggie Washington played bass; Uri Caine played piano.[8]
"Blinky" is about the abuse of Abner Louima by the NYPD.[9] "If 6 Was 9" is a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song; it contains a passage from the Turtles' "Happy Together".[10][11] Bryon covered several Mandrill songs; the band was one of Byron's childhood favorites.[12]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| Robert Christgau |  [14] |
Time called the album "overtly political funk and rap" full of "dark, fertile electric grooves."[15] The Chicago Reader deemed it "an incisive collection of loose-limbed funk, acerbic spoken word."[16]
AllMusic praised the "somber, chamber jazz arrangements and a bevy of funky, swinging charts."[17]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Alien" | |
| 2. | "Domino Theories" | |
| 3. | "Blinky" | |
| 4. | "Mango Meat" | |
| 5. | "Interview" | |
| 6. | "Schizo Man" | |
| 7. | "Dodi" | |
| 8. | "I'm Stuck" | |
| 9. | "I Cannot Commit" | |
| 10. | "Fencewalk" | |
| 11. | "Hagalo" | |
| 12. | "Domino Theories" | |
| 13. | "If 6 Was 9" | |
| 14. | "Furman" |
References
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=rnp9AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA140
- ^ https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/don-byron-6396845
- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-byron-mn0000177857/biography
- ^ https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/277063/clarinet-as-bullhorn/
- ^ https://www.salon.com/1999/03/16/review_52/
- ^ Longley, Martin (5 June 1998). "Poetry with funk floats X-Dred's boat". Birmingham Post. p. 15.
- ^ https://www.salon.com/1999/03/16/review_52/
- ^ Johnson, Phil (14 June 1998). "Jazz: Existential dread? Existential joy!". Features. The Independent. p. 10.
- ^ https://chicagoreader.com/music/donbyron-existential-dred/
- ^ Firestone, David (24 Mar 1998). "Learning Jazz Through Byron's Poetic Mix". The New York Times. p. B2.
- ^ Roberts, Randall (Sep 1998). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly (61): 47.
- ^ Norris, Chris (16 June 1998). "Keeping it spiel". The Village Voice. 43 (24): 70.
- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/nu-blaxploitation-mw0000040448
- ^ https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Don+Byron
- ^ https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,989302-1,00.html
- ^ https://chicagoreader.com/music/donbyron-existential-dred/
- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/nu-blaxploitation-mw0000040448