HustleKnockin'

I'm Gone Fishing...

Okay, so it's too cold to fish. Even out here in SoCal...

But the point is, Black Canseco's gonna take some time off from Blogging.

I've come to the realization that blogging isn't helping me write much these days. I've got all manner of half-started, half-finished books and columns that need tending to. And let's be honest: I'm a writer. (It may not seem like I'm a writer, but trust me, I am. I've got pay stubs and all manner of paper to prove it.)

Point is, writing and blogging ain't the same. And I've gotten addicted to one at the expense of the other. (Which wouldn't be so bad, i guess if blogging paid more.)

Personally I wish I could blog something great every day. (And write something every day.) Hustleknockin.com deserves that. (So does ProdigalPen.) But I just can't anymore. Hopefully, in 2010 I can farm out some of this—the Hustleknockin.com stuff, I mean. (Farming out my books and other stuff would be weird.) But yeah, the goal for 2010 is to bring in some new writers to breathe a little smoke into this HK thing. But that's another post...

Meanwhile, I'm gonna start by taking  a few days off. Eh, maybe a week or two. The goal is to get some serious writing done. (And some fresher blog posts.) And get out a little more. I'm starting to hear clicking keypads in my sleep. (Not good, people.)

Also, I need to clean out my harddrive. You have any idea how much music I've got on this thing? It's nuthin' nice.

On my to-do list is to salvage the KTH follow up—which is about 18 months behind schedule at this point... I think 2010 is doable for the followup. Might even be able to get more than one book out next year. We'll see.

And I do still plan on getting some BlogWorld stuff up much sooner than later. But I still gotta edit the footage yet.

I know it's Socal but, it's getting cold; it's November already; and putting a pen to a pad of paper's always kept me warm.

So duty calls.

Talk to y'all sooner than later.

Again, I'll be on Twitter (@blackcanseco); so pay me a visit there. Meanwhile, I'll be back—hopefully before Christmas. Probably by Thanksgiving to tell you the truth—i wanna hit you with some "year's end"  lists while it's still some year left. Until then...

It's been fun!

More to come.

Dear Paradise Gray...

An Open Letter to Paradise Gray:

Mr. Gray,

Recently you took offense at my post of your brother-in-arms JasiriX’s latest music video “Dear Debra,” and expressed your displeasure by flooding Twitter, Hustleknockin.com and other sites with assorted slams against me. So now it’s my turn to respond:

First off, you called my post a “lame attempt at journalism”.

Well Paradise, you couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m a professional writer, a published author and a long time op-ed columnist with national online readership. The one thing I am not is a journalist. I’ve never been a working journalist nor have I ever claimed to be a professional journalist.

Secondly, Hustleknockin.com is not a news site nor has it ever been positioned as a news site,;though it does feature discussions of news and current events. HK.com is first and foremost a promotional outlet for my book KNOCK THE HUSTLE. (The KTH book covers in the side columns, allude to as much.) HK.com is also an outlet for opinions, music reviews, and related topics that I and HK’s guest writers find interesting. Which brings me to Jasiri X:

I posted Jasiri X’s video as a favor to a friend—something I rarely do when it comes to musicians. Your response represents a big reason why I don't do it very often; but I’ll get to that in a sec.

Now when I was asked to post “Dear Debra” I wasn’t familiar with it. But I watched it, liked it and I thought my readers should see it. I qualified the video with my regret that Jasir X is not a nationally known artist, which was unfortunate because the song had a good message that would’ve benefited from a platform that a bigger artist could’ve provided.

Consider back when Nas said “hiphop is dead”: Was Nas the first artist to say this? Hardly.  He wasn't even the most recent figure to say it. But Nas was the most famous to say it; consequently hiphop's "death" became a cultural meme and a point of national discourse.  It’s not who starts a movement or who puts in the most work. It’s who can you get to join and champion a cause with you that makes the difference.

When I wrote, “If you want Debra Lee or anyone part of the hiphop music media establishment to hear this, you’ve gotta be part of the establishment." People have been criticizing BET for years yet the only folks BET listens to are major music outlets and advertisers. (Ask Aaron McGruder how his one-man war against BET was going until major outlets/figures joined in.)

Also, claiming that had I “googled Jasiri X I'd know more about him” only further cements my point: If people need to google you because they have no intuitive top-of-mind-awareness of you, then the lack of awareness is as much on you as them.

As for  sharing pics of Jasiri X with Obama, Russell Simmons, etc. as proof of his status:

So what?

I’ve taken pics with famous people and it doesn’t validate me as a writer. People don’t read my book or my blog because I’ve been photographed with Fortune 500 CEOs and famous athletes. They do so because they like what I write, which is why I don’t post those kinds of pics—I’ve got nothing to prove. I would imagine Jasiri X’s rep works the same—people like his music, not his photo-ops.

To that end, there’s no shame in not being famous or in being an underground artist as I called Jasiri X. It doesn’t make his work or his art any less artistic or of an inherently lower quality.  But you seem to think it does, hence your attacks.

And to your question: if Davey D or Jeff Chang had written KNOCK THE HUSTLE it would 've easily sold more books and gotten more press as those men have higher profiles than I; which again, you proved my point of how the messenger's status influences how the message spreads.

Mr. Gray, here’s a suggestion:

Instead of attacking bloggers who are actually interested helping spread Jasiri X’s music, try saying to those bloggers, “Thanx for posting Jasiri X’s work—here’s his latest project. Check it out. Also, we're available for interviews as we'd like to further engage your audience about Dear Debra and related subject matter."

You’d be amazed by the number of online outlets that would be willing to talk with both of you and share your work with their readership if you approach them without insulting them for no good reason at all.

Just a thought.

Meanwhile Mr Gray, despite your personal attacks,  I might post Jasiri X’s videos again—if I think they’re as good as “Dear Debra” because good music needs as many outlets as possible these days.

But make no mistake: your rants and attacks will do Jasiri's and your own message way more harm than good among the online music community.

How's your sense of smell these days?

Hey remember this stuff?

Well, I took this stuff just long enough to have gotten really concerned when they did the big recall this past June.

The only reason I'm mentioning this now—all of months and months later—is because it's fall and cold season kickin up; and iIgotta figure out if my diminishing sense of smell is because of my current cold or because of this crap I took which they found out can kill all your o'factory (you know what I mean) senses.

Anyway, if I can never smell again, these folks will be hearing from me. Not that I'd be able to find them or anything—as who knows what's next to go away—maybe my eyesight will be next.

I hate Over The Counter meds... This is payback from helping launch ALEVE years ago and working on those damn pharma clients. I can feel it. I think—not sure what i can feel actually as things are going numb on me. But ugh.

Such is life when you don't have health insurance. (that's another blog for another time.)

Tyler Perry Talks "Precious"

At some point tonight—soon as I beat this deadline—i'm gonna go check out Precious, the new Tyler perry joint. Okay it's not a TP production perse, but that's what's gettin' it this far. Point is I'm checking it out.

Meanhwhile, I wanted to share this letter from Tyler perry with you. It goes out to his online bas; and once again, it's straightforward, nothing too fancy... whoever writes these missives has got it down. byt the time you read this letter, a good two to three hundred thousand folks will have read this and spread it around and will be packing theaters over the next month no matter what critics and media say. (Tho in the case of Precious the praise has been big so far.)

So happy reading...

=========

All,

 
Okay, I want all of you to know that PRECIOUS is Rated R.  RATED RRRRRRR!! (for strong language, sexual content and soooo on) RATED RRRRR!!!  This ain't no MADEA movie....LOL.  Don't come out of the theater after seeing it saying, "Why didn't Tyler warn us?" HERE IS YOUR WARNING!  Pass this on please...

This is not a TYLER PERRY BRANDED MOVIE. I did not write it, I'm not in it, I did not direct it.  I want you to know that the language and subject matter are rough.

Some of you may say, "Then Tyler, why are you involved with it?"  Glad you asked.  It's certainly not for money, because I haven't gotten a dime, nor will I.  Anything I make, 100% is going to charity.  With that said, it brings me to my reason for wanting to get the word out about this film.

One word - POWERFUL! 

People think that this does not happen and these people don't exist.  Not true!  This is the most REAL film I've ever seen on this subject matter.

Seeing it, I realized that I was watching a lot of my childhood played out in front of my eyes, and by the end of the movie I was filled with so many emotions.  When I sorted them all out, the one that stood out the most was Gratitude!  I had to thank God that I made it through.  I know, for a fact, that if you have been through anything like this, by the end of this film you will have a flood of emotions.  I hope you leave feeling the same gratitude I did, thanking God you made it through.  For those of you who haven't been through anything like this, I hope that you still have that level of gratitude...being thankful for the parents you were born to, and also that it will make you want to reach out and help some child.  There are Preciouses everywhere. One word can make a difference in their lives.

Believe me, I know about that one word.

Also, PRECIOUS is opening on different dates around the country.

Click the link below to find out when it's playing in your city.
http://www.tylerperry.com/_Movies/preciousSchedule.php

Thanks.  Talk soon.

TP

Despite $320 Billion Bailout Citibank Screws Customers with 30% APR!

Despite $320 Billion Bailout Citibank Screws
Loyal Customers with 30% APR!

So I crack open my mail the other week to find a notice from Citibank.  And wait—before we go any further, I've come to the conclusion that Citibank isn't a real bank. They've bastardized the word "bank"—no one's money is safe with these people as they nickel-and-dime folks, left right and sideways. I don't know anyone's that's actually saved money in a Citibank. Or even made money with a Citibank for that matter.

We need a new name for them. How about "Citibank Robbers?" Their logo could look like this:

>>>Tada!!!!

There...

Nah, I dunno. On second thought, "CitibankRobbers" sounds cute, but I don't think Citi's actually stolen money from any banks.

Now, they've ripped off customers, taxpayers and even the government. They're good at that. But robbing banks? That'd be a step down for these Citiguys.

Hmmmm.....

I know! Got it. How about:

Citigank. Yeah, much better. [FYI: “Gank” is Chicago slang for to steal, rob or indiscriminately take.]

Anyway, Citigank sends me a letter the other day and the letter goes like this:

“We are making changes to your account terms… To continue to provide our customers with access to credit, we have had to adjust out pricing. The terms of your account will be changing. These changes include an increase in the variable APR for purchases to 29.99% and will take effect November 30, 2009.”

30 percent… That's right, these Citigank summabishes are raising my APR interest rate to 30%. Lemme repeat that:

Citigank is raising my APR 30%. Thirty percent… that’s my reward for being a loyal customer who always pays his bills on time. Thirty percent interest.

Folks, I’m from Chicago. And I know for a fact that the Chicago mafia doesn’t charge 30% for street loans. Seriously, they don’t. Leave it to an effin' "bank" to think a 30% APR is not only normal, but moral.

I swear, if could hit 30% I’d playing for the LA Dodgers… the Padres, at least. But nope... these guys hit me with 30.

And you know what bothers me more than the 30% rate hike itself? That Citigank raised the rates based on my outstanding balance. Not from anything going forward but beginning 11/30/09, I’ll be on the hook at 30% for whatever my balance is at that point. In other words,  pay my balance off now, or pay it off at 30% in a few weeks.

This is like a restaurant raising the price of your meal on you while you're eating it.

 
And if that’s not enough, Citigank is just 12 months removed from a $320 Billion bailout in Nov. 2008. (Remember that? Click here to refresh your memory.)

Taxpayers—against our collective will (thank you, congress)—bailed out Citigank to the tune of $320 Billion. But instead of using the money for loans and credit for customers what did Citigank do? Dole out a whole gang of executive bonuses.

Meanwhile customers like me and hundreds of thousands of others are watching our interest rates go through the roof. And the government does nothing to stop these greedy amoral crooks. It did nothing under Reagan. Nothing under Bush 41, nothing under Clinton or Bush 43 and is doing even less under Obama.

Citigank... these leeches… Nah, scratch that. I’ve seen leeches OD on the blood they suck till they get fat and die. Credit card companies like Citigank? They live forever.

Death, taxes and debt—the only 3 guarantees in life, these days. Might as well profit off of 'em, right?

The road to hell may be paved with good intentions, but greed is the roadmap.

Once I pay this card off, I’m canceling everything Citibank-related. And I mean everything. I’m cutting these bastards out of my life permanently. They can choke on their money and rot.

Citibank, you can kiss my big, black, APR.

The War for America: The Maafa21 Project

Now, before you write these folks off as crackpot reverse-racist conspiracy theorists… Well, nevermind. All I can say is just consider the facts. Tribalism and shifting socio-economic power structures are truly complex issues; and it’s going to require some serious dialog and analysis….

Maybe this film’s a good start. If definitely can’t hurt.

For some added background, I’m gonna recommend my favorite book—War On the Weak by Edwin Black.

WOTW is stunning read all about the rise of not only eugenics, but its influence on Hitler and the Nazi party, IBM, Planned Parenthood and the modern abortion movement. It all ties together.

There's a bigger picture to be seen and this is part of it.

Temp Dollars, White Collars...

I should hate this.

Really, I should.

For starters it's like 10 years too late.

Secondly their lack of flow is actually butchering one of the most addictive and at the time, most innovative beats in the landscape. Thirdly,... aw screw it.

 I could give you a whole laundry list of why-nots, but it wouldn't change the fact that I've laughed out loud every time I've watched this thing. So, umm, well...

Your turn:

Music Review: 50 Cent’s Before I Self Destruct

So Disrespectful:

An Early Review of 50 Cent’s
Before I Self Destruct

50 Cent is the Sylvester Stallone of rap. He’s that (older) dude who, once you hear his interviews and see how insightful and articulate he is about the process, the industry, and his personal interests and perspective about how to connect with audiences, you can’t help but wonder why the art he makes isn’t exponentially better.

Hey, I liked Rambo and Rocky but I didn’t need 19 of ‘em, with each worse than the first. I loved Power Of A Dollar and GRODT. But Curtis has been chasing that high since 1999 it seems. Which brings me to his latest joint:

Before I Self Destruct is the street album you wanted to hear right after Massacre and probably instead of the 5 mixtapes and albums he’s dropped since.

Obviously Fif’s never been the most nimble lyricist or the most floetic. But as BISD reminds, 50’s charisma is rooted in his bluntness. Fif doesn’t mince words; no fancy metaphors or symbolic allegories. He just muscles up and lays it out with aggression and indifference to feelings. And when the beat’s on point (as is the case with most of BISD), the results will make you more than a little nervous and fans excitable on principle—or possibility, if nothing else.

And that’s exactly what BISD does.

For 17 tracks, Curtis slings a flatbed’s worth of big cannon talk and big bully stomp over some of the most menacing sonic haze he’s been laced with in years. Lyrically, 50 remains the-survivor-turned-predator in a zero-sum ethos—take or get took. Hence every bar sounds like he’s picking a fight—industry execs, other artists (Game, Buck, Jigga…), bloggers, random haters, the streets… Fif’s at his best when he’s swinging.

Jay was probably right—no one’s afraid of 50 these days; but there’s still something problematic about a guy who recalls being molested in his youth with “My nanna said she raped me/I just smiled ear to ear saying “take me, baby!” That’s a guy who, $300 million in the bank or not, just might be serious when he tells you he’s pulling the guns out again, just for fun.

But 50 remains an observant fellow. Consider the Oran Juice Jones-esque tale of failed love, Do You Think About Me Ferrari laments: “It’s like Paul McCartney stuck in my head—he fell in love with a bitch/she walked away on one leg… She should have what she want/just not from me!”

As for the rest of BISD, expect to hear Get It Hot and Psyco (feat Em) all winter. (Em sounds like he’s warming up for another run.) Other BISD standouts include: So Disrespectful, Then Day Went By, Gangasta’s Delight, Crime Wave, Do You Think About Me, and Ok, You’re Right.

Overall Before I Self Destruct isn’t the end of 50—far from it. But it’s not his rebirth, either. It’s not the change of heart or even change of pace others hoped for. It’s Fif being Fif—ugly, blunt, street , hungry and swinging till he gets knocked out. Throughout, Fif maintains just enough charisma and talent to keep us coming back. Not in the numbers of his past successes, but BISD won’t crash—not without scorching a little more earth, first.

Before I Self Destruct drops Nov. 17th. For more, swing by ThisIs50.com

Adria Richards Has Really Good Hair!

Adria Richards is one of my favorite people... She's a smart, sexy, geeky and has a heart of gold. She runs ButYoureaGirl.com. I had the pleasure of meeting Adria at BlogWorld Expo this past October in Vegas.

I'll write more about Adria and the other cool people from BWE in a bit. Meanwhile, here's a little sample till the main course arrives.

GM, Ford confronted for lack of Black Print Media Buys

File this under "too little too late" as print across the board is suffering. But it's still a worthy fight. Just wish these guys had stood up and fought when I was doing this years ago....

=======
NNPA Chairman confronts GM,  Ford for lack of Black newspaper ads

By Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA News Service

It is estimated by the Chicago-based research firm, Target Market News, that African-American consumers will have spent $2.8 billion on new General Motors cars in this year alone.

According to industry statistics, GM's models, which include Chevys, Cadillacs, Saturns, Buicks, Pontiacs, and GMC trucks, represented just above 18 percent of all the new cars purchased by African-Americans in just the first seven months of this year.

Yet, published figures from national research sources found that GM spent only $29.9 million on advertising in Black-oriented media in 2008. That represents a meager 2.4 percent of the $1.17 billion of all of GM's advertising expenditures. Market experts are baffled.

''Clearly there is a discrepancy in how GM allocated marketing dollars to target Black consumers,'' says Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News. ''One has to wonder why one of the top five advertisers in the world would not invest more in reaching a segment of customers that represents desperately needed growth. The imbalance between patronage and marketing budgets is especially puzzling in a recession when companies need to be competitive and strategic with every dollar they spend.''

This "puzzling" imbalance between Black consumer investments and Black consumer returns from GM, Ford and the automotive industry at large is the reason that Danny Bakewell (pictured), chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, says he will lead the federation of more than 200 Black-owned newspapers in a direct confrontation with the automotive industry.

"This is not only unfair, it is unjust, it is malignant, and borders on just being criminal that they're just taking this money out of our community and not having any kind of respect. They wouldn't do this to any other consumer," says Bakewell in a telephone interview. "These are the people who trust us to steer them to the right product. If these people are taking our people for granted; then we're going to steer them to other products. I am declaring that this is not something that we are going to idly sit by and let happen to our people and to our community."

When Bakewell showed up at the Rainbow/PUSH 10th Annual Automotive Summit in Detroit early this month, observers said both GM and Ford representatives got that message clearly.

''He spoke from the audience about, 'What are you going to do for the bottom line?'" recalls Glenda Gill, executive director of Rainbow/PUSH's Automotive Project. The annual summit is the only one of its kind that provides automotive manufacturers an opportunity to dialog with Black and other cultural markets.

The two panelists questioned by Bakewell were Vice President of Global Procurement for General Motors, Bob Sousha and Vice President of Global Procurement for Ford Motor Company Thomas Brown. Neither could be reached for comment this week.

However, interviews with other GM and Ford representatives revealed that the corporations generally do not chart the specific dollar amounts going to Black-owned or Black-targeted media for specific media buys. They mainly work from the federal government definition of "minority", which means any race other than White; plus women-owned businesses.

"I don't think we break it down by minority per se. It's not broken down by how many African-American suppliers, how many female, how many Hispanic and that kind of thing," said Dan Flores, GM Corporate Spokesman.

Bakewell says that Ford appears to be making greater strides and greater efforts to respond to the Black community.

"But they still have a ways to go" in relation to Black newspapers, he said.

Armando Ojeda, director of supplier diversity development for Ford, says Ford continues to work to "increase the dollar value we spend with all of our minority suppliers, which includes African-American suppliers through any number of initiatives."

Ford spokesman Todd Nissen says advertising with Black media, including Black newspapers, is done through UniWorld, the New York-based advertising firm that is the nation's largest Black-owned and operated advertising agency.

However, Ojeda adds that industry trends may be leaning away from newspapers and more toward the Internet.

To circumvent such trends that are largely insensitive to Black communities, Bakewell says he intends to start with top corporate leadership, from which decisions will trickle down.

"I am moving to get a meeting with the CEO and the chief marketing officer for both of these companies because I cannot believe that they are aware of this giant gulf between our loyalty and the disrespect that we're being given by these companies," Bakewell says.

Figures from the R. L. Polk Research Company show that African-Americans still purchased more than 320,000 new cars between January and July of this year. This represents 7.1 percent of all new cars bought.

The national advertising industry in general takes for granted Black consumers, which spend billions for their goods and products, Bakewell says.

"Instead of using that as a basis for supporting us, they're using it as a basis against us to say, 'If you're supporting us at that level, why do we need to support you. We've already got the market,'" he describes. NNPA will have help in its pursuit of economic inclusion.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and CEO of Rainbow/PUSH, says he will work with NNPA to assert pressure from the civil rights side, particularly on those manufacturers, such as GM and Chrysler- that have received billions of dollars in economic bailout money from taxpayers.

"Now that the government has taken over, it must enforce its own laws of equal opportunity, contract compliance and fairness. These are government-run companies now. And this is a critical moment," Jackson says. "They cannot ignore affirmative action laws. This applies to jobs, dealership contracts, advertisements and professional services." He and Bakewell say they will also seek Congressional hearings on advertising discrimination.

Ford was able to survive the economic downturn without bankruptsy or a bailout.

Praising Jackson for "creating the atmosphere for this dialog," Bakewell says he will form a web of partnerships to work alongside the Black Press of America and is willing to even ask the involvement of NNPA board members and publishers.

"I'm going to ask the board to buy stock in these companies. I'm going to ask to go to their board meetings. If we don't get some real serious response to this, then this issue even if we have to bring our 200-plus publishers from across this country and show up on the door steps of General Motors and Ford, we are going to do that. We are going to make this a public issue because it is unethical, it is immoral and it seems to me to be something that would be illegal."

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Johnson Products Co. launches 'No Excuse, Stop the Abuse' campaign

Commentary to follow...

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Johnson Products Co.  launches 'No Excuse, Stop the Abuse' campaign

Johnson Products Company (JPC) a formidable force in the personal care industry, has unveiled an aggressive initiative to help an advocacy organization in Chicago combat domestic violence against women. The centerpiece of the "No Excuse! STOP the ABUSE!" initiative is the installation of a unique, first-of-its-kind Gentle Treatment Beauty Center within Family Rescue's Ridgeland Housing & Day Care facility. Johnson Products Company's launching of the "No Excuse! STOP the ABUSE!" initiative is in recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

In addition to the Gentle Treatment Beauty Center, the "No Excuse! STOP the ABUSE!" initiative is comprised of other components including:  a four-year $20,000 financial commitment to help fund Family Rescue programs and operations (Johnson Products Company will distribute the funds in annual installments of $5,000); an on-line donation portal and a month-long promotion currently running in select Sally Beauty Supply stores. 

The comprehensive effort was announced during a press conference hosted by Johnson Products Company at the Family Rescue Housing complex.  Family Rescue is an organization that provides counseling, emergency shelter, safe housing, legal advocacy and comprehensive support services for victims of domestic abuse.

READ HERE FOR MORE

===================

Well, I'm guessing that JPC means well by this, but when a multimillion dollar conglomerate gives $20,000 to a cause, my visceral reaction is:

BS.

I mean $20K? That's not even enough to hire an employee. Or throw a good sized corporate party. Twenty-grand? You can get twenty grand at most good sized churches' Sunday offerings.

$20 grand... We don't believe you, you need more paper.

And what's this about launching in October? Talk about perpetuating the stereotype. This might be the worse case of CPT I've seen in, forever. I mean, JPC isn't just late, they're a month late. October is Domestic Abuse Month, so what does JOC do?

Launch their program at the end of the month.

Hey, Johnson Products: While you're at it, see if you can get Chris Brown to work on some promo spots.

Adland is on The Beancast Today!

Hey, check out the Beancast today. One of my fave folks is on it—Ask DaBitch from Adland will be shutting it down and speaking all sorts of crazy stuff about the advertising biz with the folks at BeanCast.

Tune into:

TheBeancast:
 www.beancast.us

Music Review: Merge by the Chris Greene Quartet

Coming Together:
A Review of Merge by the Chris Greene Quartet

Chris Greene Quartet
Merge
Single Malt Recordings (2009)
Release: 11/17/2009

[CQG is: Chris Greene tenor & soprano sax, Damian Espinosa—piano + keyboards, Marc Piane—double bass, Tyrone Blair—drums & percussion.]

One of my favorite young jazz crews is back. With “Merge,” their third album in almost as many years, The Chris Greene Quartet  lead by tenor + soprano saxophonist Chris Greene, continues to bring tight, high-end musicianship combined with a floetic mastery of good song structure.

And where CGQ’s Soul & Science series was more divergent and aggressive in its inspirations, drawing from all manner of funk, soul, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Mingus and more, Merge is about a smoother quieter progression of play.

Nine songs deep including 4 Chris Greene compositions, Merge showcases not only some of Chris Greene’s cleanest most refined playing yet but also pianist Damiam Espinosa's strongest work. While the highlight of the album might be the Greene-composed "Coffee n Scotch" for its energy and flavor, my fave cut might be  "L. F. E. I. (Let's Get it Started),” an unusual take on the very recent Black Eyed Peas, joint. I just love the way it builds from a groove to a dance between CG’s horn-work and Tyrone Blair's great drum rhythms. It’s like a boxing match of jabs and quick footwork. I also loved the melodic piano work on Out Of Nowhere; the Billly Strayhorn composition Lotus Blossom feels fresh as well.

As much as you may be temped to make Merge yet another “background”  album, I kept finding myself rewinding to various tracks to catch the intricate playing and fluidness that’s going on on nearly every song on Merge. I’m guessing you will, too. These guys are serious players.

Overall, Merge is a fun vibrant jazz album that’s got a ton of smart playing without going over your head. Instead it draws you in, gives you some great rhythms and flow combined with strong playing from every member in the band. Merge is just one more reminder to jazz fans everywhere why the Chris Greene Quartet is still on the rise.

You can find CGQ’s work on iTunes, Amazon.com/ChrisGreene and at chrisgreenejazz.com or twitter.com/chrisgreenejazz or www.reverbnation.com/chrisgreenejazz