Next by Soulive

Soulive: Eric Krasno (guitar); Sam Kininger (saxophone); Neal Evans (acoustic & Wurlitzer electric pianos, Hammond B-3 organ); Alan Evans (drums). Additional personnel: Amel Larrieux, Dave Matthews, Black Thought, Talib Kweli (vocals). Recorded at Applehead Studios, Woodstock, New York in October and December 2001, Cutting Room, New York, New York in May 2001 and Aerowave Studios, Los Angeles, California. Soulive's second outing for Blue Note further extends the group's focused revision of classic soul-jazz. With swirling Hammond B-3 and mellow-toned guitar work slinking around crisp, air-tight rhythmic grooves, NEXT is both loungey and danceable. From the riff-based athleticism of opener "Tuesday Night's Squad" to the slow burn of "Joyful Girl" to the guest raps from MCs Black Thought and Talib Kweli, NEXT references funky 1960s combo jazz, while revealing a penchant for hip-hop aesthetics and contemporary groove.