Liquid Soul, Here's The Deal- Joann D. Ball

REVIEW: Liquid Soul, Here's The Deal (Shanachie)

- Joann D. Ball

Chicago's very own Liquid Soul continues to drop major doses of acid jazz on Here's The Deal (Shanachie Records). On this third studio release, band leader and saxophonist Mars Williams leads Liquid Soul even further into the seldom explored adventureland of jazz, funk, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and Latin sounds.

It's definitely all about fusion, flava and fun on Here's The Deal_"Sure Fire One" opens the record with a blistering freestyle delivery from Windy City rapper MCB and the band lays down a surprising Middle Eastern scale over the groove in the middle of the track. Nina Simone's daughter Simone makes her recording debut with Liquid Soul on the sultry invitational "Stop By Monie's" and on the deep sexy groove number "Dysfunction." Liquid Soul's resident MC Dirty MF does the deed once again on loose and fluid "Show Me."

Liquid Soul once again acknowledges its debt to the jazz greats, with a live Y2K version of Miles Davis' "All Blues" and a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie called "The Diz." And the twelve tracks are further enhanced by DJ Ajax's innovative use of ambient sounds in addition to the usual word and jazz samples that have always distinguished Liquid Soul's progressive sound. On Here's The Deal, Liquid Soul lays it all out for everyone to hear and feel. Whether in the studio or performing the intensely energetic live shows for which they are famous, Liquid Soul always delivers maximum quality with maximum style.