"The Roots of Acid Jazz"
Patrick Forge, 1996,
from the liner notes to
The Roots of Acid Jazz (Impulse)
Acid-jazz? Sometimes I wonder how such an unlikely expression has found
its way into popular usage. It's really quite incredible that something
which started quite literally as a flippant, off-the-cuff remark has become
an accepted part of international popular music terminology. The true
origin of the term has become almost mythological, but can actually be
traced to a specific time and place. Without going into boring details,
let's just say that "acid-jazz" can be attributed to a d.j.
(now producer) by the name of Chris Bangs.
Faced with the prospect of following a d.j. who'd been churning out a
set of early "acid-house," Chris, and partner Gilles Peterson,
responded with a retro funky-jazz cut. Manically sliding the vary-speed
control on the turntable to mimic the "washing machine" effect
of acid-house, "Bangsy" took the microphone: "Never mind
that bollocks....this is acid jazz!" Ah! Small beginnings. During
the period that followed, it was Gilles Peterson who really capitalised
on Chris Bangs' joking invention. The whole musical landscape was changing:
"acid-house" at first seemed revolutionary and avant-garde,
but was about to change the face of the music sub-culture completely.
Ever the astute operator, Peterson was alert to the media coup of acid-jazz;
it was a way of making the jazz thing connect with what was happening.
And whilst, as a d.j., Peterson may have focussed on playing "retro"
music, he was excited by the new developments in dance music culture;
so, whilst the soundtrack may have been largely antiquated, the attitude
was definitely contemporary. Acid-jazz came of age during the Dingwalls
years. Dingwalls? The original venue in Camden Town, London, where, for
four and half years, on a Sunday afternoon a packed dancefloor rejoiced
to the sounds of jazz, latin and soul, mixed with the contemporary flavours
of hip-hop and house; anything really that connected with the open-minded,
experimental philosophy that characterised the session.
Inevitably, the vibe stated to spread. "Talkin' Loud and Sayin'
Something" (as it was known) attracted visitors from far and wide,
some of whom took the concept away with them to start their own version
in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and beyond.
Accordingly, acid-jazz has come to mean many things to many people.
As the original message was disseminated it has been interpreted in different
ways. But somehow the spirit stays the same, whether dealing with the
heritage of dancefloor jazz, or taking on the agenda of today's high-tech
fusions: the spirit of acid-jazz is about quality music, uplifting vibes
and deeper grooves.
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