JAZZ PROTEIN Compiled by Los Angeles based artist and collector Kye Potter for PRE-ECHO. Here’s 14 tracks of instrumental music from the 80s and one each from ’79, ’92 and ’09. The synthesizer is the common instrument but musically the common thread is a jazz lead, played mostly on saxophones, a trumpet and a few keyboards. The jumping off point was a top 10 list by James Moss, from 2017, of private or experimental smooth jazz - he just called it “Smooth”. The opener is off that list - it’s right down the middle smooth jazz, an unknown classic and I couldn’t stop playing it! With this smooth adjacent lens I went about my regular listening habits including experimental and improvisational music, serial and minimal music, folk and world music, jazz and electronic music - really anything with consistent driving motion, big patient melodies, high drama energy or an eerie soundscape quality. Like all mixes, these songs were chosen to fit together, in this order, etc, have a consistent vibe, all that...and I think they do. I was really just creating a micro-genre for myself - pulling songs together that built on one another. These were the songs that really took me somewhere - lush production, confidence bordering on overconfidence, chill pacing…maybe just music for dancing alone, for hangin’ with yourself - that’s what it was for me. Hope you enjoy! -KP All proceeds from sales of this cassette go to Medical Aid for Palestinians, map.org.uk
