Sly & Robbie: The Summit

Sly & Robbie have always been one of the most progressive production outfits to emerge from the reggae world, so a crossover collection such as this should be no surprise. The only problem is that it's not really what one might have hoped for. Aiming at the R&B sector, the drum'n'bass tandem team up with Bill Laswell to funk it up Taxi Gang-style with all the requisite synth drums and rockin' guitar solos. The duo enlist a heady crew to be sure, including such dancefloor greats as Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell, as well as fellow traveler Shinehead and free jazzers Henry Threadgill and Karl Berger. Starting off with a pat take on the Ohio Players hit "Fire," the album mostly plods along on one tired electronic groove after another, taking in a bit of early hip-hop and experimental downtown flair along the way. No reggae in sight really, just a valiant venture gone awry.