Jump Start 2 | By Various Artists | TheUrbanMusicScene.com

Album Review: Jump Start 2 | Various Artists
By Peggy Oliver

Speaking
only as a former mix and radio DJ, I have a small bit of envy for
Ginger Tony. And why do I even make mention of this matter? I continue
to this day being a huge fan of soulful, passionate dance music and
actually got to briefly live my dream guest hosting one mix show
installment many years ago from a non-commercial station in my Seattle,
WA. Ginger Tony AKA Tony Farmer not only grew up listening to his
favorite radio DJ’s, he practiced and refined his own skills by
taping mock radio broadcasts. His record collection ranged from Burt
Bacharach to Motown. But Ginger was especially enamored with hip-hop and
the samples drawn from this remarkable art form. When acid jazz started
blossoming during the eighties in the U.K., the interest in hip-hop
lessened. At first, Ginger worked the mobile DJ circuit, but eventually
exploded into the Essex club scene playing what his heart sincerely
desired in the soul and jazz funk variety. Currently, Ginger is the host
of the overwhelming successful Jump Start Radio Show
on Solar Radio. This format was not only a mix DJ’s ultimate dream;
soul and jazz fans tapped into their inner dance and strutted their
stuff in front of the radio. Originally, Ginger was to produce a
compilation and set up a label to release his personal selections from
the program. That plan was detoured after meeting with Phil Driver. The
founder of Soul Unsigned Records was already a loyal listener to Jump
Start, which inspired the pathway to producing the Jump Start
CD series. Like its predecessor Vol. 1, Vol. 2 presents full fledged
dance beats frosted with soul, jazz, hip-hop and world music.

Roots reggae vocalist Michael Arkk and Seductive Souls get the Jump Start II
dance floor warmed up with “Is This Love” as seventies soul and
eighties space-age synthesizers collide. For Sharon Jones & The
Dap Kings fans, “June” by Giselle Smith brings those old school deep
funk grooves back to life. Diesler’s “Samba Magic” spotlights a sizzling
lead vocal by Laura Vane backed by equally sizzling samba beats. Funk
jazz a la Roy Ayers receives its due with the Jazzinvaders’ contribution
of “Make it Work.” This band is one of several holdovers from the first
Jump Start disc. Anyone who is curious about
that thing called ‘electro swing’ should dig the Afro-Cuban lounge
delight, “Birds Do It,” from Tape Five AKA Martin Strathausen and Iain
MacKenzie’s suave lead vocals. One of the masterminds in translating
acoustic jazz for the hardcore dance audience is the Milano Jazz Dance
Combo – drummer/percussionist Gianni Lo Greco and brother bassist Enzo
Lo Greco – with their contribution, “Goodbye.” German producer David
Hanke slices and dices jazz classics, breakbeat style, with modern
tricks up his sleeve on “Karabine” under the moniker Renegades of Jazz.
Two other artists from Jump Start I
deliver encore appearances on II. “Weak” (the Jephte Guillaume Main
Vokal Remix) bridge veteran dance artist Monday Michiru’s unique
jazz-tinged vocals with tribal rhythms. DJ Ralf GUM and another major
voice in the dance clubs, Inaya Day, connect for a house music soulful
gospel shout out entitled “Lose My Worries.”

Even with the high quality of talent represented on Jump Start II,
compiling these diverse dance cuts on this somewhat mix compilation can
be tricky. Thankfully, Ginger transitions the various mini mixes of
distinctive dance tastes into one engrossing dance party. With the
consistent track record of Soul Unsigned in his corner, Ginger should
have more Jump Starts ready to spin in the very near future.

Peggy Oliver

The Urban Music Scene.