This is one of the best hip-hop-jazz collaborations I’ve ever heard. That’s admittedly regarding jazz rhythm aesthetics. But the forms share close rhythm aesthetics, especially per the yin-yang of groove. Milwaukee rapper CRASHprez falls into the pocket with eager elan. Bandleader-trumpeter Jamie Breiwick leads a variety of tempos pursued whipper-snapper style, yet always with the supple relaxation to engender swing. So CRASH takes his sweet time, feeling that rolling pulse, until he’s ready to jump and splash. Nearly as impressive, these highly appealing tunes are improvised from start to finish, revealing jazzers with deep vocabularies responsive to whatever the moment demands.
