There was a time in the 1970s when jazz, funk, and R&B became reacquainted, resulting in a rhythmic and earthy style of music that was bolstered by some of the harmonic sophistication and ambiguities of jazz. Undoubtedly, the instrumentation and analog recordings helped shape a unique and atmospheric sound that relied on real Wurlitzer electric pianos, rounder and fatter-sounding kicks and snares, an unabashed use of analog signal processors, a healthy appetite for dissonance, and the use of supple grooves. Smokers Delight ($99.95) hearkens back to that time before digital synths and quantizing.



The 3-CD set includes an audio CD for auditioning files and two CD-ROMs filled with REX and Acidized WAV files of drum loops, short instrumental phrases, and single-hit drum samples, such as kicks, snares, and hi-hats. Each folder on the first CD-ROM mingles the REX and WAV files associated with a song motif; the second CD carries a grab bag of compatible REX- and WAV-file loops and single-instrument hits.



In essence, all of the featured songs are loops, but the inherent flexibility of REX files lets you milk plenty of variation from smaller phrases. At first, the combination of formats may seem confusing - until you understand that the REX and WAV files are meant to be layered as individual track components. It's too bad that the instrumental phrases are not provided as REX files, but the WAV file instrumental phrases are mostly short snippets that you can often move around in much the same way as the REX-file constituents.



Domo Obbligato

The Smokers Delight files are imbued with a jazzy, hip-hop attitude; wa-wa guitar, Rhodes or Wurlitzer electric piano, and muted trumpet obbligatos add jazz and funk flavor. Many of the loops sound as though they were lifted from vinyl?