Legendary party starter DJ Jazzy Jeff still packs
dance floors across the world, but it's been awhile since he's issued
anything new from the studio. Sporting a sound that picks up from the
soulful, head-nodding vibes of his BBE projects, Jazzy Jeff has linked
up with rising Toronto R&B singer Ayah to release this free, downloadable album, and the results are overwhelmingly impressive. Ayah
(whose 4:15 EP was one of the strongest releases to emerge from a
Canadian R&B singer in years) obviously found undeniable chemistry
with Jazzy Jeff in his Philadelphia studio, penning inspirational and
uplifting lyrics that complement Jeff's production style, who is
assisted here by frequent Questlove studio cohort James Poyser, among
other accomplished session musicians, such as Pete Kuzma, known for his
work with Jill Scott. For Ayah, Back for More represents her
highest profile offering and she struts into the spotlight rather than
shirking from it, given the superior profile of her collaborator. The
brassy "Notorious" oozes confidence and "One Life," featuring T-dot MC
Tona, underlines her assertive persona. "Hold On" is a sly shout out to
Slakah the Beatchild's "Enjoy Yourself" (a song she co-wrote), while the
grittiness of "The Game" showcases her narrative skills. On much of Back for More, Jazzy
Jeff's tasty formula involves subtly flipping familiar samples,
fleshing them out with sumptuous instrumentation and then adding Ayah's
impassioned vocals and sophisticated songwriting chops. Apparently, this
is just the starter, in terms of the collaborations this duo have
cooking. Be sure to hang around for the main course.
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