Jesse Futerman

Toronto, ON wunderkind producer Jesse Futerman has made a huge impression on uber-DJ Gilles Peterson over the last few years (despite being only 19) and his first proper release shows why. Stylistically, it's in the tradition of jazz-conscious instrumental hip-hop productions, but in practice it's not just a set of chopped-up, reassembled samples ― Futerman's feeling for the soul of each song is what makes this a great listen. As it has been for the past 35 years, a proper re-edit will bring new depth to a song, so when Futerman salutes Horace Silver in "A Tribute To Horace," it's mostly a few well chosen piano chords and the depth and clarity of the drums that remind the listener that the subject is the true godfather of funk. The songs rarely make it to the three-minute mark, which means these works stand up as songs but never overstay the broad-stroked, funky impressionism that makes them what they are. The one longer track, "I Love You So," which ends the album, presents an ever-growing sense of anticipation that isn't resolved until soothing piano chords offer a fitting summary to this meditative, yet concise, EP.