DJ Harrison – Tales from the Old Dominion [Stones Throw]

Tales from the Old Dominion draws together many styles Harrison has long worked in, both as a prolific solo musician and as a collaborator with artists as varied as Steve Arrington, Joyce Wrice, Kurt Elling and Jack White. For fans of Hazymoods who know Harrison as a beatmaker with immaculate vibes, Tales from the Old Dominion offers up sunny instrumentals “City Lights” and “Kawai Voyage”. Anyone who copped Slyish, Harrison’s 7-inch channelling Sly & The Family Stone, will recognise the happy, soulful mood of “First Date” and “Glorious Day”. Fans of Butcher Brown, the “garage punk jazz funk” group in which Harrison plays keys, will fall hard for the whole album’s deep grooves and rich instrumentation — with all instruments played by Harrison himself. Classic inspirations are given a contemporary twist on covers of Jimi Hendrix and Roy Ayers. Pink Siifu (who tapped Harrison to produce tracks from his album GUMBO’!) appears on “Cosmos”, and “2021 Disco” features fellow Virginian and Stones Throw label mate Stimulator Jones.

RIYL: Butcher Brown, Braxton Cook FCC: #13