Measure for Measure | 01

A set built on drums, from Yussef Dayes’s polyrhythms to Max Roach’s solo and Robert Glasper’s Dilla tribute. Time feel and low-end bass lead the way through cinematic jazz, jazz-funk, and contemporary beat craft, ending with the Polish jazz sampling masterwork of Skalpel’s “Sculpture”.

"Rhythms of Xango (Live at Joshua Tree)" - Yussef Dayes

"Spiritual Wind" - Galathéa

"That's How I Feel" - Jiro Inagaki

"Reaching For The Highest Pleasure" - Roy Ayers

"Nardis" - Bill Evans

"The Drum Also Waltzes" - Max Roach

"Dillatude #2" - Robert Glasper Experiment

"Diabolus" - The Cinematic Orchestra

"Marejeo Ya Bakari" - Buddy Sativa

"Douce Amertume" - Qiwu

"Microphone Mathematics" - Fred

"Sculpture" - Skalpel

“Rhythms of Xango (Live at Joshua Tree)” — Yussef Dayes
Cut from Dayes’ limited “Live at Joshua Tree” session, recorded in the Mojave desert in collaboration with Soulection and later issued as a one-sided 12 inch, the piece features Venna on sax, Rocco Palladino on bass, Elijah Fox on keys, and Alexander Bourt on percussion. The title nods to Shango or Xangô, the Yoruba orisha associated with thunder, lightning and drumming, a reference that fits Dayes’ polyrhythmic focus. 

“Spiritual Wind” — Galathéa
Galathéa is the project of Italian producer and DJ Massimo Napoli. “Spiritual Wind” appears on his 2021 self-titled album for Ishtar, a set that draws on 60s and 70s Mediterranean and library cues with live players and sampler-driven production. The Space Echo profile and label notes place Napoli in a line of Italian crate-diggers updating jazz-funk tropes for contemporary downtempo sets. 

“That’s How I Feel” — Jiro Inagaki
Japan’s premier jazz-funk bandleader Jiro Inagaki cut “That’s How I Feel” on the 1973 LP “In The Groove,” with arrangements credited to his longtime collaborator Norio Maeda. The tune originates with the Crusaders, written by Joe Sample with lyricist Will Jennings and first appearing during the group’s electric turn on “Crusaders 1,” which also brought in session heavyweights like Larry Carlton and Chuck Rainey. Recent reissue notes on the Japan Import edition frame Inagaki’s version within the early 70s boom in jazz-funk instrumentation and Shibuya-scene crossing.

“Reaching For The Highest Pleasure” — Roy Ayers
First circulated from Roy’s Virgin Ubiquity studio tape cache, the master dates to June 1977 and was officially issued decades later, then paired on a 10 inch with Pépé Bradock’s mix of “I Am Your Mind Part 2.” Virgin Ubiquity gathers late-70s sessions with top players including Dennis Davis and Bernard Purdie on drums, Harry Whitaker and Bobby Lyle on keys, and vocalists Merry Clayton, Sylvia Cox, and Carla Vaughn, as documented by Jazz Messengers and Discogs. BBE and Ayers’s Bandcamp pages trace the track’s renewed life in 2022. 

“Nardis” — Bill Evans
Written in 1958 by Miles Davis for Cannonball Adderley’s session, “Nardis” became linked to piano genius Bill Evans, who performed and recorded it repeatedly across the 60s and 70s. Davis never recorded it himself, a fact often noted in Evans scholarship and discographies. Evans’ first studio version with his trio appears on “Explorations,” recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York on February 2, 1961

“The Drum Also Waltzes” — Max Roach
Roach introduced this solo feature on “Drums Unlimited,” recorded in 1965 and released by Atlantic with Arif Mardin producing. The title now anchors the 2023 American Masters documentary on his life and work, directed by Sam Pollard and Ben Shapiro, which situates Roach’s innovations in a seven-decade arc of American music and activism. 

“Dillatude #2” — Robert Glasper Experiment
Glasper’s live Dilla tributes evolved into recorded interludes across Black Radio releases. “Dillalude #2” appears on the Japan Tour Edition of “Black Radio,” later folded into the 10th Anniversary Deluxe, with composer credit to James Yancey. The Dilla drumming is showcased by Chris "Daddy" Dave. “Black Radio” itself won the 2013 Grammy for Best R&B Album. Glasper’s “Dillalude” series showcased Dilla’s time feel in live jazz.

“Diabolus” — The Cinematic Orchestra
Dark room jazz for crate diggers, the debut album Motion on Ninja Tune, “Diabolus” captures Jason Swinscoe’s early process: gather sample-born motifs, have live players learn and expand them, then edit the results back into the live mix. The cut moves from brooding chordal clusters to attack-and-decay drumming from the brilliant Luke Flowers.

“Marejeo Ya Bakari” - Buddy Sativa
Paris producer-drummer Buddy Sativa’s Deus Ex Machina (Favorite Recordings, 2010-2011) was cut largely without samples, with one exception: the label notes explain that “Marejeo Ya Bakari” draws on The Pyramids’ “Indigo,” and translate the Swahili title as “The Return of Bakari.” Tracked live with minimal post-work, label notes and the original rollout flagged the record’s live-to-tape ethos and its deep spiritual leanings.

“Douce Amertume” — Qiwu
French beatmaker Qiwu’s “Douce Amertume” appears on the 2011 album “Travelling Arrière,” pairing MPC-style chops with modal chords and brushed-drum programming. The track title translates to “sweet bitterness,” which fits the palette: feathered drums, minor-key boards, and expansive headphone detail.

“Microphone Mathematics” — Fred
Lisbon drummer Frederico “Fred” Ferreira’s ensemble pays live homage to Madlib on “Series Vol. 1 – Madlib,” translating crate-born beats into new jazz cuts. Their version of “Microphone Mathematics” extends the Quasimoto single into vibraphone and horn interplay, with the group noting Madlib’s blessing for the concept. The original “Microphone Mathematics” was a Stones Throw foundational 12 inch that helped draw a bright line between Madlib’s Quasimoto alter ego and his crate alchemy.

“Sculpture” - Skalpel

Polish duo Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło built “Sculpture” for their acclaimed 2004 debut eponymous LP on Ninja Tune.  Sourcing from deep crates of Eastern European jazz, Skalpel made their method plain: exquisitely sourced samples, re-cut with hip-hop precision and arranged like chamber pieces. A fitting finale.