Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
For those of you who haven't heard of director Jim Jarmusch, Ghost Dog is the story of a reclusive hit man (Ghost Dog, played by Forest Whitaker) who lives on a rooftop, raises pigeons, and can only be contacted for "jobs" via said pigeons. He lives by the ancient samurai code outlined in the book Hagakure, which he carries with him. This one really hits the indie-flick sweet spot of mixing humor with sadness, and Whitaker's performance is quietly outstanding. I'm avoiding too much detail here because the strangeness is best experienced first-hand. Ghost Dog is currently streaming on Netflix, so don't read any more reviews, suspend your disbelief, and dig this cult classic.(NOTE: Dead Man, a Jarmusch flick at the top of my own need-to-see list is currently streaming, too)
For those of you who haven't heard of director Jim Jarmusch, Ghost Dog is the story of a reclusive hit man (Ghost Dog, played by Forest Whitaker) who lives on a rooftop, raises pigeons, and can only be contacted for "jobs" via said pigeons. He lives by the ancient samurai code outlined in the book Hagakure, which he carries with him. This one really hits the indie-flick sweet spot of mixing humor with sadness, and Whitaker's performance is quietly outstanding. I'm avoiding too much detail here because the strangeness is best experienced first-hand. Ghost Dog is currently streaming on Netflix, so don't read any more reviews, suspend your disbelief, and dig this cult classic.(NOTE: Dead Man, a Jarmusch flick at the top of my own need-to-see list is currently streaming, too)
The Brand New Heavies
Before the vintage analog movement of the 2000's, there was "Acid Jazz" in the 1990's which got me hooked on funk. So yeah, it's another term for "funk." The Brand New Heavies are a great example of this sound, which is more pop and disco oriented as opposed to a 60's/motown leaning. The Heavies are a primarily instrumental outfit from the UK, but their better-known works feature N'Dea Davenport on vocals, including 1994's "Brother, Sister", and the 2006 reunion album "Get Used To It". You'll get it all here: a tight rhythm section, slick arrangements, and powerful vocals. This should be a great way to wrap up my month of retro-funk reviews.
Before the vintage analog movement of the 2000's, there was "Acid Jazz" in the 1990's which got me hooked on funk. So yeah, it's another term for "funk." The Brand New Heavies are a great example of this sound, which is more pop and disco oriented as opposed to a 60's/motown leaning. The Heavies are a primarily instrumental outfit from the UK, but their better-known works feature N'Dea Davenport on vocals, including 1994's "Brother, Sister", and the 2006 reunion album "Get Used To It". You'll get it all here: a tight rhythm section, slick arrangements, and powerful vocals. This should be a great way to wrap up my month of retro-funk reviews.
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