As huge fans of the ever expanding discography of Ari Joshua, and having covered his previous releases, SoulMine and Spooky, we were stoked to say that least once we learnt that the visionary artist had just released Let’s Do It Right Now.
Immersing us with a cerebral energy, astral, 8-bit nuances and digitised sound design, Ari Joshua opens Let’s Do It Right Now with a dynamic and intricate sound design, evolving into a contemporary acid jazz vibe which has us in awe.
The opus takes us on a playful journey with masterful instrumentation, evocative melodies and a sense of nostalgic subversion. We are enamoured with the organ performance, and the raw edges that truly allow the composition to shine in its own right.
We learn that Let’s Do It Right Now is designed to honour the late dummer and artist, Elvin Jones. Speaking on the tribute, Ari Joshua confesses, “I met Elvin Jones at Lionel Hampton Jazz Fest in the mid 90’s and as I asked him for a photograph with my disposable camera he eagerly exclaimed ‘Ahhhhhhhh… Let’s Do It Right Now!’ Elvin had a way of being so in the moment. Billy Martin and John Medeski, have always been high on my list of artists to create with and after working closely with them it reconfirmed why on a few levels.”
“Sometimes, it’s the perfect timing and place, sometimes even if it’s imperfect the imperfections are the compass toward what’s real that is what makes an artist’s greatest art”, continues Ari with wisdom and intention.
We appreciate the presence of Billy Martin on drums, John Medeski on electric organ, and Jason Fraticelli performing upright bass, and we learn that the piece was devised as part of a multi-day recording session in a barn in Woodstock, just after the end of the global pandemic. The meditative outro is transcendental, and certainly makes for a fitting tribute to Elvin Jones.
Let’s Do It Right Now has been added to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream Ari Joshua‘s wider discography, and anticipate future releases from the star.