I’ll understand if some people’s reaction to seeing the new Blue Note Records compilation Droppin’ Science: Greatest Samples From the Blue Note Lab in this space is to shout “but that record’s not old at all!” Truth be told, I was reticent to feature it because… well… it’s not old at all. But I’ve been toying with the idea of expanding my Friday ritual beyond a simple survey of old records pulled randomly from my crates. And a compilation that illustrates the ideology behind that ritual (namely that a fascination with sampling and vinyl-culture can help grow one’s appreciation of different types of music and lead to a life-long love-affair with vinyl and music in general) like this one does is a perfect way to introduce a little bit of change.
When Droppin’ Science arrived on my doorstep I took a quick look at the tracklist and assumed Blue Note had reissued it’s Blue Break Beats compilation under a new title. Issued during the salad days of crate-digging in response to demand for not-always-easy-to-find releases from it’s “Funky-Jazz” era generated by exposure from the Acid Jazz, Rare Groove and Hip-Hop communities Blue Break Beats is one my first recollections of seeing sampling, beat digging and dusty groove hunting acknowledged outside the community of disc jockeys, beatmakers and collectors who participated in it. Shortly, Blue Note would begin reissuing many of the full-length releases from which it’s most sampleable and danceable grooves were culled.
Some selections are carry-overs from various installments of the Blue Break Beats series, but Droppin’ Science (available as a double-disc LP and single-disc CD) narrows it’s focus to some of the most essential sample-fodder the label released. Heavily-sampled Lou Donaldson favorites like “It’s Your Thing” (which I always expect to start with a booming kick-drum a-la Brand Nubian’s “Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down”) and “Who’s Makin’ Love,” are joined by a bevy of tunes (by Ronnie Foster, Jack McDuff, Grant Green, Lonnie Smith & Donald Byrd) that provided the basis for classic cuts by A Tribe Called Quest, and grooves from Ronnie Laws & Donald Byrd used by Da Beatminerz to shape the signature Boot Camp Clik sound.
With so many well-worn loops on display Droppin’ Science isn’t likely to impress serious crate diggers who probably own the original LPs or already have compilations with these tracks on them in their collection. But it’s a nice enough starting point for the novice sample geek, beginner record nerd, budding groove aficionado, Funky-Jazz newbie, starter DJ, or casual music lover who just wants to hear where “those Rap guys” got their beats. It’s also a handy way for DJs to obtain a whole crop of dancefloor-Jazz classics in a compact format that will keep their valuable original albums safe from wear, damage or theft in live settings.
But what does this mean for Records at Random? More represses and reissues? Old Hip-Hop tapes? Selections from the “digital” crates? Who knows! The only certainty is more beat-up dollar-bin finds from my collection. Just don’t be surprised if I switch it up every now and then.
- El Keter
