JURYMAN "Playground (Reworks)" (Crammed Discs)
Add Date: 6/20/2023
Release Date: 6/7/2023
FCC: Clean
Focus Track: Playground, Prophet and the Fool Rework
Formats: NACC Electronic, NACC Chill, NACC Electronic
RIYL: Jazzanova, Tricky, Spacer, Animals on Wheels
Released on SSR between 1997 and 2002, the Juryman trilogy by visionary electro-jazz artist Ian Simmonds provoked the emergence of a devoted core of followers, a kind of international secret society of people who were deeply under the spell of these life-changing albums. Juryman was described in the media as "One of Britain's most vital talents" (Mojo) and "A modern-day Mingus for the nu-jazz generation" (Mixmag), French daily Le Monde went as far as saying that "he's one of the inventors of today's sound, alongside Moby and Tricky", and Muzik described his music by saying that "it's like all the best bits of Gil Scott-Heron, Red Snapper and Ry Cooder rolled together, it bristles with widescreen energy... Elegant, deep, complex and constantly surprising".
With his haunted soundscapes, inimitable talking blues-like vocal style, inspired sharp lyrics, organic blend of electronics and live instrumentation, Juryman created a highly inebriating, soulful mixture which practically defined a new genre.
‘Playground (Reworks)’ is a superb collection of 16 tracks, most of which have been unavailable for decades. They include self-remixes made by Juryman, and highly original reworks he made for other artists on the SSR/Crammed label: Tuxedomoon, Aksak Maboul, Suba and Taraf de Haidouks.