Reachin' Out
Catalogue no: VIS115CD
I wanted an album that would resolve all the
styles that I've played as a live drummer and reflect my journey
as a musician.
In his new album, Reachin' Out, Manchester-based
artist Dubble D, aka Danny Ward, expresses his love for diversity
and a desire to cross both age and culture. The album glides effortlessly
across musical genres, bringing together jazz, house, hip hop, reggae
and soul, to create a perfectly balanced album rooted firmly in
the song-writing tradition.
Danny has worked as a drummer for over 15 years, gigging six nights
a week with a wide range of artists, from live electronic band 2020Soundsystem
to renowned jazz musicians Gilad Atzmon and Jim Mullen. He also
worked as musical director and percussionist for both Rae &
Christian and AIM on tour and has produced with notable artists
such as Fila Brazilia, Only Child, Veba, Chapter & the Verse
and The Pharcyde. He's also an integral member of the much-lauded
2020Soundsystem with Ralph Lawson and label mates Silver City.
The result of Danny's live and studio experience comes to fruition
on Reachin' Out, in both the skilful
way he works with each collaborator and on his solo tracks. Some
of the world's most respected artists have signed up to collaborate
with him, from Grammy-nominated jazz singer Flora Purim to NYC hip
hop producers Qball and Curt Cazal and soulful beat scientists Nightmares
on Wax.
The solo excursions include: Super Hi,
which kicks off proceedings, referencing the many hours Danny spent
on the Hacienda dancefloor; Squelch,
with its bouncy bassline, deep pads and crisp production; nu-jazz
dancefloor classic Stench; jazzy hip
hop instrumental Big Fish; and lazy,
string soaked affair King.
Guest stars
Brought up on a diet of Miles Davis and Art Blakey, these early
influences cemented Danny's love for jazz music and can be heard
to permeate his sound alongside more contemporary inspirations such
as Pete Rock and A Tribe Called Quest. But where all time favourites
are concerned, its Flora
Purim who tops the list; first hearing her unique voice at the
age of 13, he has collected her records ever since. So when she
agreed to sing on his album a lifetime ambition box was given a
big red tick. Anyone with even a passing interest in Latin and American
jazz music of the last 25 years will have heard of Flora Purim.
The lady with the 6-octave voice has no less than 2 Grammy-nominations
for Best Female Jazz Performance and has sung on 2 Grammy-awarded
albums: Mickey Hart's 'Planet Drum and 'Dizzy Gillespie's United
Nations Orchestra'. Her equally talented daughter Diana Booker,
who sings in her own band Eyedentity and works as a vocal instructor
at the LA Music Academy, joins Flora to write and sing lyrics on
the superb track Switch. A beautiful
mix of Portuguese and English vocals float over Danny's cool, shuffling,
nu-jazz rhythms, combining to become a real melting pot of Latin
jazz vocals and modern beats. This has the potential to become a
modern classic.
In complete contrast, the next artist who brings his skills to
the fore is legendary scratch DJ and one half of quirky hip hop
visionaries Fingathing.
Peter Parker adds his magic to My Ass!
with choice cuts and scratches over a wobbly, fun, Latin-influenced
hip hop fusion on a Mr Scruff kind of tip.
In a different style again, the next collaborator to deliver their
talent to Danny's door comes in the shape of respected underground
dub star Dubdadda, who adds amazing vocal tones and lyrics
to dubwise, speaker-troubler Love Holds.
Dubdadda is a highly esteemed artist on the dub reggae scene and
has sung with internationally acclaimed artists Mad Professor and
Lee Scratch Perry.
An equally talented, but again, very different artist brings a
beautiful soulful moment to the album on Multiply.
In working with Canadian chanteuse Kate Rogers, Danny showcases
his songwriting talent and his skilful beat programming. Kate made
her name by singing for Rae & Christian and AIM before releasing
her debut solo LP St Eustacia on Grand Central in 2004.
Next the fantastic Ms Diane Charlemagne steps up to the
mic to deliver her sweet sexy voice to Reachin'
Out and Rain. Diane is renowned
for her vocals on Goldie's Inner City Life, being Moby's backing
singer and working with a long list of artists and bands including
Urban Cookie Collective, Satoshi Tomiie and The Prodigy.
In a nod towards Danny's love of old school hip hop, Diane passes
the mic on to heroes of the genre Qball and Curt Cazal, originally
from the legendary JVC Force. QNC's ode to rap music on Would
You? fits perfectly over Danny's deep and funky beats, and
will be released as a single with new remixes. The pair are signed
to NYC's famous hip-hip label D&D Records and are currently
working with M.O.P., Guru from Gangstarr and Brand Nubian's Lord
Jamar.
For the final meeting of minds, fellow beat supremo George Evelyn
or DJ EASE from Nightmares
on Wax joins Danny in the studio to produce Pudpots.
George recorded Dubble D's live drums and fed them into the sampler,
added horns and Danny joined in with the funky double bass to create
a real treat for beat junkies. NOW were innovators on the 'Northern
bleep' scene in the early 90s before reclaiming their childhood
roots in hip-hop and soul in the shape of their stunning 1995 LP
Smokers Delight, which marked the start of their now trademark laid
back, smoked-out sound.
Reachin' Out is the first of five new
2020 artist albums set to be released in 2005 and marks the start
of 2020Vision
becoming a major album force. In the last 10 years the label has
become renowned as a purveyor of the finest 12" DJ vinyl with
superb long-player moments interspersed. Having worked hard to dig
out a wealth of fresh, young talent queuing up with material, the
2020 team are making top quality albums a regular fixture in the
release schedule.
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