Gemini Soul - Dark Skin Babies: The Movement

One characteristic of jazz music that most people should agree on - it's a phenomenon that continues to be played on radio stations across the world, even if not to the extent of pop, R&B, or country.  For those who are honored to play this art form dating back to the early twentieth century circa 1900, it requires lots of emotion and creativity in stirring up excitement to their listening audiences.   The more commercially successfully smooth jazz format slowly crept into prominence in the seventies, yet has started to diminish lately partially due to losing their identity in their formats (i.e. inserting R&B performers like Janet & Beyonce).  Then there is cyber jazz.  Say what?  As best described by Gemini Soul's founder Andre Marcel Ajuma Akinyele, cyber jazz invites all generations and all ethnic backgrounds to "jazz of all genres."  These ingredients were all inspired by his love of musicians who took jazz fusion movement on a wonderful ride starting in the seventies:  Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, and Miles Davis, before Najee, Paul Hardcastle and Kenny G lent their smoother R&B accents into their jazz improvisations.   He also emphasizes fellow bass guitarist Meshell Ndegeocello's daring approach to musicianship that fuels his musical work ethics. When he first recorded under as Marcel, much of his material bled the stylings of Prince - another musical hero and an absolute legendary funkmeister and innovator himself.  As Akinyele stepped out of the Marcel portion of his career, he changed names and musical direction for his solo cyber jazz contributions Black Magic: The Cyper Jazz Experience and Supernova before joining with keyboardist Jon O'Bergh to form Gemini Soul in 2003.  Two of their discs thus far - Liquid Soul & Nefertiti Experience - featured various arrays of jazz including Clarke's "Yesterday's Princess," "Take Five" - the Dave Brubeck masterpiece; and Les McCann & Eddie Harris' "Compared To What?"

Now with percussionist Andrew Foster and drummer Alex Marks in the GS lineup, their latest effort, Dark Skin Babies: The Movement takes their ambitious jazz journey into more social commentary, musical twists and turns, and new renditions from those musical groundbreakers that touch their musical soul.   Within the twenty tracks, a few highlights caught my special attention.  Subject matter such as treatment of minorities and the black versus black mentality ("There's No Money In Jazz" and "Dueling of the Tribes" respectively) are illustrated with heavy hitting lyrics and spoken word.  "Android Slavery" meshes roots Reggae with GS's funk backbeats.  In respect to their peers, they revisit "Chameleon"- the fusion classic by Hancock; Ndegeocello's Afro-Cuban avant guard composition - "Al-Falaq 113," and a slightly tweaked "All The Critics Love You" (the B side of "Little Red Corvette" from 1982) adding a shout-out for cyber jazz.  The track, though, that exposes GS's strongest creative juices is "Finger Print." This spotlight on guest saxophonist Waahid Jones is a model exercise in fluid jazz expressions; smooth jazz oozing into a brief Carribean passage before busting out with shades of John Coltrane wrapping up with an engaging Latin finale.  

The absolute strength of this two-disc set is the firm cohesion and a firm respect between the four members; plus some tight horns from Jones.  Akinyele happens to mention in several radio interviews that he wants his audience to also get up and dance.  Certainly not meant to put that theory down or to dismiss the cyber jazz notion, but GS should relax their funk tendencies on Dark Skin Babies: The Movement every once in awhile, because this band is more than a dance floor sensation that blends keen jazz sensibility on the aforementioned tracks.  Being the workaholic that Akinyele is (GS has released at least one disc every year since its debut in 2005), they should have more music and plenty of passion in their tank to stretch their jazz muscles for many years to come.

Peggy Oliver

The Urban Music Scene

Listen to song samples from the "Dark Skin Babies: The Movement" album on our Jazz Page, exclusively from amazon, by clicking here!!