Adventures Of F-F Man, The

The debut by the AKA Project (formerly the NFL Horns project before the National Football League complained), 2000's The Adventures of FF-Man is acid jazz that, for once, doesn't skimp on the jazz half of the equation. Like a turn-of-the-millennium version of the Blackbyrds, U.K. DJs Richard Saudler and Richard Wargent are all about the groove, and these 11 lengthy tracks do an excellent job of luring folks to the dancefloor. The earnest "Inner City Blues"-style vocal track "Voices From the Project" sounds completely out of place, like a track from the soundtrack of a minor blaxploitation film of the early '70s, but the rest of the album is timeless jazz-funk blending modern electronica, vintage synths, and powerful soul-jazz grooves in a mix that's as much fun to listen to as it is to dance to, a rarity in this style of music. Melodic, soulful, and downright funky at times, The Adventures of FF-Man should appeal to more than the core fans of instrumental acid jazz. ~ Stewart Mason|