Not surprisingly, the marriage of jazz and dance culture has sometimes led to conflicts and misunderstandings. Beyond the dead-end “This is/isn’t real jazz!” argument, there were deep commercial issues to solve when a culture so dedicated to preservation of its legacy met up with a culture based in sampling and remixing.

Fortunately, both sides have seen the benefits of coming to legal accommodation. One of the biggest acid jazz hits ever, and the song that probably introduced the genre to more people than any other, was US3’s 1992 track “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia),” a respectful remix of Herbie Hancock’s F-minor groove, “Cantaloupe Island”.

What became Blue Note’s first gold single and platinum album in its 54-year history  was the result of a far-sighted decision to give US3 producer Geoff Wilkinson unlimited access to the entire Blue Note catalogue. Norah Jones has since become the label’s cash lifeline, but “Cantaloop” proved that respect for the past and dance floor success need not be mutually exclusive.

Published on Apr 15, 2010 Filed under: Acid Jazz