Track Listing

1. Tuesday Night's Squad
2. Flurries
3. Liquid
4. Joyful Girl
5. Kalen
6. Clap!
7. Interlude
8. Ne-Ne
9. I Don't Know
10. Whatever It Is
11. Alkime
12. E.D. Hambone
13. Bridge To 'Bama (Hi Tek Remix)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121789 in Music
• Released on: 2002-03-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
Soulive are proof that jazz remains a living organism that continually evolves from its past to make music for the present. Now a quartet with their addition of a saxophonist, Soulive brew a seamless funky concoction of '60s jazz-organ grooves, '70s funk, '90s acid-jazz, and fresh hip-hop that defies classification. The basic vibe of the music mirrors the great organ-guitar-sax era of the '60s, and these twentysomething musicians capture the nightclub feel of that time on "Tuesday Night's Squad" and the stirring ballad "Alkime." Dance-music fans will dig tracks that feature hip-hoppers Black Thought (from the Roots) and Talib Kweli. And for those who need their '70s groove on, they quote Earth Wind & Fire directly on "Flurries" and pay homage to the Brecker Brothers' highly syncopated style on "Whatever It Is." Dave Matthews, who Soulive opened for on a long tour of sold-out rock venues, returns the favor here on "Joyful Girl," but he is by far the least interesting aspect of this 13-song set. As their album title suggests, in jazz, Soulive is what's next. --Mark Ruffin

Customer Reviews

Appropriate title, Incredible Album
I didn't think it was possible to jump this far ahead of their oustanding Blue Note debut, Doin' Something...God Damn. One great track after the next. These cats can do it all - organ jazz, hip-hop, soul, groove, funk - but they do it with a sound all their own. 'Next' evolves their style to a new level, thanks in part to the addition of the sublime Sam Kininger to the group on sax. Songwriting is better than ever; incredible grooves, pockets, breaks and solos are all over this record. Favorites include "nay-nay," "kalen" and "clap!" (featuring Black Thought of The Roots), but every track burns. Hip-hop, jazz, and jam band fans will instantly love it, but this is truly a great record that should make waves in all music circles.

New direction for Soulive
Not sure where these guys are headed, but I'm heading in the opposite direction. My sentiments echo what many have already said: "Overproduced", "smooth", etc. "Next" was such a disappointment considering how much I liked "Doin' Something". I wonder who's really behind this, Soulive or Bluenote (or both). And before everyone gets all crazy, I'm all for a band trying new things, growing musically, yada, blah, whatever, but this is such a departure from their previous sound that I just can't sponsor it.

Despite my negative review, I do applaud the band for trying to reach out to a wider audience. I just wish they hadn't compromised their sound as much as they did.

Hmm...
Ever since I saw these guys live in a little and very personal club, I loved 'em. I immediatly went out and got "Turn it Out" and wasn't dissapointed (as a matter of fact I was extatic). When "Doin Somthin" came out I was waiting at the store to buy it (well, not really... but you know how it feels). See my review of that album for more. So naturally when "Next" came out I was very excited. I was about to buy it when I though, "Hmm, maybe I should listen to it first." I'm quite glad I did. Their sound has become increasingly overproduced and smooth and at this point it feels more like backgrounds or a series of grooves (which weren't terribly rich in sound) thrown together. The amazing guitar playing of Eric Krasno has been moved to the background (of the backgrounds)and I often had to remind myself that he was even there. Sam Kininger's sax lines are often verry smooth and not of that funky-jazzy ellement so essential to the original Soulive sound. While some musicians, such as Miles, can pull off drastic stylistic changes seamlessly and still produce incredible records, I wouldn't say Soulive fits in that group.