So I got a phone call from Will Holland. He was in Spain, raving about an mp3 I'd given him the last time he was here in NYC. It was this brass band version of "Sexual Healing," and he'd just thrown it on a packed Barcelona dancehall the night before. "At first they didn't know what to do," he says. "Then, the handclaps came in, and they started to move. When the vocals dropped the place exploded." After we hung up I had to call my man DJ Concerned, who'd hit me with the thing in the first place. He didn't know who Quantic was, but he clearly understood the power of the killer cut. This CD is a selection of a few of his pure fire brass band joints, a collection honed by frequent trips to New Orleans as the DJ for Brian J and the Pimps of Joytime, one of the finest N.O.-affiliated up and comer conjuntos. Understand, these aren't some old-timey Preservation Hall Jazz Band chestnuts, these are real deal street level Crescent City bangers from new school rulers the Rebirth Brass Band, the Hot 8 Brass Band and the Soul Rebels. These dudes have insanely hype live shows where they rip through everything from Herbie Hancock to Lil' Jon covers, kinda similar to DC's go-go scene. Concerned is the first guy I've heard to pull the sheet back on this stuff, and it's done here in a crispy thirteen song mix that is seamless without any teeth-gritting blends or awkward transitions. In addition to the previously mentioned "Sexual Healing" (worth the price for that alone) and a wicked run through "Atomic Dog" ("Rock With the Hot 8"), the mix is chock full of sure shot party music ("(Don't Touch That) Stereo", "Skeet Skeet"). I've had this thing on constant rotation, recommended.

reviewed by monk