Madlib’s Shades Of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note album was a rare opportunity for the producer to remix and reinterpret music from the label’s catalog. Bobbi Humphrey recorded “Please Put Me At Ease” for her 1975 album Fancy Dancer. The flutist made jazz and funk amicably meet each other with the help of The Mizell Brothers. In the hands of Madlib, the beats are denser and rapper M.E.D. adds his verses to the mix. Malib made M.E.D.’s rap and the groove the nucleus of a sampled and revamped “Please Put Me At Ease.” The musical conversation that started with Humphrey in the ’70s and others like Roy Ayers was answered by hip-hop again in 2003. Blue Note’s decision to give Madlib access to their catalog introduced the legendary jazz label to a new generation. Shades Of Blue was a slick history lesson and Madlib’s answer to Humphrey was another bridge between hip-hop and jazz. Madlib’s Sound Ancestors album was released in 2021.Â
Â
