Waltz for Koop

AMG（All Music Guide）四星半绝佳评鉴 俏皮轻盈的浪漫步伐 复古舒缓的优雅兴味 灵魂诗意与电子幽默相互呼应的酷组合 “在Koop的编排下，爵士不再是老样子，变成有点俏皮，混着轻盈浪漫的步伐，成为一个性感舞者！感觉上，Koop让爵士这位老姑娘，穿上了红舞鞋，演出挑逗的遐想，让宾主尽欢。不得不承认， Koop的爵士口味挑嘴得令人惊喜，突破了曲风的限制，无论是Miles David的〈Kind of Blue〉，抑或小野丽莎的〈Pretty World〉在他们手上都换了新妆，除了听觉上让你舒缓轻快到底，其独特的选曲、接歌以及DJ Set完整的起承转合概念，使得整张作品呈现很有人味的优雅兴味，其中轻快运用大量拉丁手鼓与碎拍融合，加上优美的人声与复古的口白串场，各种巧思编排，一气呵成，可以感受其对爵士尊崇与轻柔爱抚的心情，十足灵魂诗意与电子幽默相互呼应，给你满满加乘的梦幻效果！” Sweet vocal jazz for the post-club generation that could have been made decades ago, Koop's debut album finely treads the line between the hipster posturing and lounge perfection that is the specialty of acid jazz radio guru Gilles Peterson. Lush orchestration and hard bop rhythms make Waltz for Koop a pleasing sensation, but it is the rotating cast of vocalists that gives the album a strength beyond kvetch. Newcomers Cecilia Stalin and Yukimi Nagano both follow the fluttering vocal lineage of Astrud Gilberto on two songs each. The ladies perform effortlessly next to songs featuring certified vocal greats Earl Zinger and Terry Callier, each of whom wrote the lyrics to their respective numbers, "Modal Mile" and "In a Heartbeat." Callier's turn is the highlight of the album, with Koop augmenting the master's voice and their own retro melodies with subtly modern sounds, creating a fusion that remains true to the traditional form while staking their own 21st century musical claim. Though Koop occasionally steps into pretension (the album contains several unnecessary vocal interludes taken from old jazz programs), Waltz for Koop is one of those rare albums that succeeds in paying homage to the artist's heroes without sounding like watered-down versions of said forerunners. Put any of this album's songs on a mix tape next to a classic by Elis Regina or Chet Baker, and see if it doesn't fit together.