chuck d found alive and well despite cavorting with Hendrix

The first few seconds contain the promise of a wild rock take on the old Bomb Squad, but the old-school riff-based nature of the main body of the song doesn't quite live up to it. Still, Mr. D is pretty ferocious, the song is relentless and simply unexpectedly discovering Chuck D still making worthwile music trumps the slight cheesiness of the "got to be/got to be FREE!" chant at the end.

Chuck D - Freedom

This particular song is allegedly unpublished apart from on a promo CD that came with the December 2005 issue of Vibrations. The CD was a sampler of new and upcoming albums on Douglas Records. Continuing the Hendrix them, Geri Allen is doing "Three Pianos For Jimi." The "Message To Love" included here is surprisingly good. The reissue of John McLaughlin's "My Goal's Beyond" shows him in his early Indian mode.

Avoid Operazone's "The Redesign" at all costs, unless you're a really big Graham Haynes fan (who is heard to very good effect in a Miles Davis circa "Sketches of Spain" way). The rest of the opera strings-meet-tablas-and-programmed-drums-and-Byard-Lancaster Bill Laswell affair is incredibly disappointing.