Pioneering acid jazz/house denizen DJ Smash's recordings are given a face-lift on this 2001 compilation (original recordings from 1992-1996). A well-known N.Y.C. Metropolitan-area DJ, Smash reached legendary status during a long stint as the house DJ at Manhattan's Giant Step nightclub. Mixing acid jazz rhythms with a house music sensibility, Smash was a major contributor to the early jazz/hip-hop fusion movement. In later years, Smash provided remixes for contemporary jazz acts such as Cassandra Wilson and Medeski, Martin Wood. The opening four tracks on Recollection are hefty achievements in the realm of updating a maestro's sound. Dread Vs. Alien is a slo-mo trip-hop piece à la early Tricky that vibes with reverberating Moog effects created by Hal Lee. While Foregasm, Cooldown, and the exceptional Naked City also benefit from live instrumentation (piano by Victor Axelrod, trumpet by Fabio Morgera, and sax by Bob Belden), the album bogs down when abandoning this format in favor of mindless repetitive house tracks such as Bassanova, Now What?, and Racial Facial. This collection is at its best when minimal hip-hop/house grooves meet jazz and electronica embellishments. Perhaps seeking to recreate some of the old Giant Step magic, Smash's devotees only dedicate half of this album to this protocol and the other half to music that only sounds good in a club setting. ~ M.F. DiBella, Rovi

1		Dread Vs. Alien
2		Foregasm
3		Cooldown
4		Naked City
5		Lounge Mode
6		Bassanova
7		Now What
8		Racial Facial
9		Daktari
10		Afrikanisms

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