Urban Knights VI

Amazon.com
Funky urban contemporary jazz by the Chicago-based quintet Urban Knights shows off the robust vitality they continue conjure up in the genre. At the center of the set is Wayne Shorter's "Footprints," their version of which perfectly demonstrates an ability to blend a modernist composition with utterly fresh sounds. Nick Bisesi's flute hovers in the air over the gently punchy rhythm section, all the while immersed in the atmospherics of Kevin Rudolph's keyboards washes. Elsewhere they pay homage to a number of their forebears, opening the disc with Stanley Clarke's "School Days" and inviting guest Ramsey Lewis to play grand piano on his own "Memórias Belas." --David Greenberger

Urban Knights VI,Urban Knights,Narada,Contemporary Jazz,Crossover Jazz,Jazz,Jazz-Pop,Pop,Smooth Jazz

Average customer rating:

Worth it for several tracks

It's Alright!!!

From NC and I think this is a Great CD

Knight of Knights

Weak, and thats being polite.

Urban Knights VI
Urban Knights
Manufacturer: Narada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Urban Knights V

Urban Knights

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ASIN: B0007OY2S0
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Tracks:

School Days
Close Your Eyes And Remember
My Boo
Come Back Jack
My Love Is True
Footprints
Brazilica
Fall Forward
Memorias Belas
Sly
Onnikah

Amazon.com

Funky urban contemporary jazz by the Chicago-based quintet Urban Knights shows off the robust vitality they continue conjure up in the genre. At the center of the set is Wayne Shorter's "Footprints," their version of which perfectly demonstrates an ability to blend a modernist composition with utterly fresh sounds. Nick Bisesi's flute hovers in the air over the gently punchy rhythm section, all the while immersed in the atmospherics of Kevin Rudolph's keyboards washes. Elsewhere they pay homage to a number of their forebears, opening the disc with Stanley Clarke's "School Days" and inviting guest Ramsey Lewis to play grand piano on his own "Memórias Belas." --David Greenberger

Customer Reviews:

Worth it for several tracks.......2007-02-11

I have all the Urban Knights CD's. A lot on this CD is weak and non inspiring. Fall Forward track is excellent jazz and toward the end of the track you are transported into another dimension (almost wish they had recorded several more minutes of this track). Come Back Jack is a solid track. The CD is worth it for these 2-songs. The rest of the CD goes fairly dull after that!

It's Alright!!!.......2006-05-31

I looked up the cover of the then-upcoming release of Urban Knights VI and realised it was different from I-V,so I really wasn't expecting to hear the regular urban knights sound.I had a problem with this album:the new material was low.However,they did justice to all the tracks on the album save for Track 5;from Stanley Clarke's "School Days" to Ramsey's "close Your Eyes and Remember"&"Memorias Belias" as well as Usher's "My Boo",you could feel them get the message across without making you realise they were doing remakes.
However the standout is the Wayne Shorter lassic "Footprints".This was a suprise for me in that I expected them to add a little extra or two to the song,but the y rendered it practically note-for note,and I liked it.I think the suprise factor came from Nick Bisesi's flute hovering over the tune to add a real smooth flow.
"Fall Forward" and "Sly" are well-laid tracks,as Bobby Broom tempts us to check out his solo effort "Clean Sweep"as a reminder.
In general,the Ramsey influence is still there,what with Kevin Randolph and Frayne heavily involved in the project.The legend adds a few piano chops to his own song "memorias Belias".It's a good album,worth buying.Wouldn't say it's the best Knights album:II and III are definitely vying for that title.But it doesn't fall short of the Urban standard that we've become familiar with,even if the line-up (and the album cover format) have changed

From NC and I think this is a Great CD.......2006-03-02

I listen to the CD Urban Knights VI at a book store here in Greensboro North Carolina. Upon listening to the CD's first track I was at peace. I waited about 1 and 1/2 weeks to buy the CD. That was a mistake I should have bought it that day.

Knight of Knights.......2005-05-12

I do not understand how the guy from NC thinks this cd is weak. I personally think this is the best one yet. Ramsey and these guys really out did themselves this time. This is a must have cd if you know anything about jazz. Outstanding work.

Weak, and thats being polite........2005-04-20

I must have bad taste because I thought this latest Urban Knights was weak, and thats being polite. There is nothing remotely interesting here, and to top it off, the recording is awful, sounding like it was mastered on a first generation cassette deck. Many of the compositions sound like a first generation experimental and elementary contemporary jazz effort from the late sixties. Don't even think about buying this one. There is nothing creative or musical about this release. It sounds like they were trying to meet a recording contract deadline and played whatever the musicians felt. I wish I could get my money back.

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