Impulsive! Revolutionary Jazz Reworked

What would Charles Mingus make of the RZA? Unfortunately, the man’s not around to bend our ears on the subject. But it’s not hard to imagine that he’d dig what the Wu-Tang master does with his “II BS” on Impulsive!, a new set of remixes in the mold of the recent Verve Records series. The tune now has a slightly slower, dragged-out feel that adds even more threat to Mingus’ general toughness. Dizzy Gillespie’s “Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac” becomes a Six Degrees-style dance-floor burner in Gerardo Frisina’s hands, while Pharoah Sanders’ “Astral Traveling” receives an update (from Boozoo Bajou) that the original track’s laidback groove only hinted at. One or two tunes don’t translate as successfully, but they hardly stand in the way of the album’s overall quality. Also check out the companion Impulsive! Unmixed selection of originals.