Boozoo Bajou / Various

Following their 2003 compilation success, Nuremberg duo Peter Heider and Florian Seyberth return with another fine selection of down-tempo cuts. Accompanied by a cast of famous players such as Alice Russell from Quantic Soul Orchestra and Grand Central head honcho Mark Rae, they give an indication of the soulful blends crammed into 20 tracks. There are some new and rare joints on the album including Tony Joe White’s phenomenal "Rainy Night in Georgia” and a Bajou remix of Gecko Turner’s "Dizzie.” The reggae skank of "For The Love Of You” or "Rowing” contrasts well with the dub bass sounds of "Tiefenschärfe” and "Back Up,” or the rare groove "Emnete” with funky soul and R&B grooves filling in everything in between. The album is gently fused together with gradual transitions between tracks rather than mixing per se. Juke Joint II shows why these styles are as popular as when they were first conceived and that the evolution of downbeat is still going strong.