No Escape
Friday, October 29, 2010 at 2:25PM 
Echoing the style of Guru’s Jazzmatazz, jazz vocalist and multi Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon join hip-hop quartet The Beast to release Freedom Suite, a 10-track collection of creative reflections on jazz and hip-hop hosted by 9th Wonder. Here is one of my favourite tracks from the album, which features the incredibly talented Carlitta Durand & Darien Brockington. Hit the jump to read more about the release. This is the best free download of the year.
Drawing from a traditional jazz canon as well as hip-hop “standards” from the recent past, the album brings a live jazz sound to some of the most loved tracks in popular music. The album features six original songs written and produced by The Beast and also re-makings of modern classics such as Mos Def’s “Umi Says,” Johnny Mercer & Hoagey Carmichael’s “Skylark,” and Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop.” The project has guest appearances from Branford Marsalis, Phonte (of The Foreign Exhchange/Little Brother), YahZarah and Geechi Suede (of Camp Lo).
Recognizing the importance of talking about the convergence of jazz and hip-hop and its role in forward-thinking culture, the album also features conversations among some of hip-hop and jazz’s greatest intellectual minds including ?uestlove, Herbie Hancock, Amiri Baraka, Branford Marsalis, Angela Davis and more.
We are thrilled to present this project as an exclusive free album download for readers of The Revivalist.
01. Good Evening feat. 9th Wonder
02. Rise Beyond the Sky feat. YahZarah & Rapsody
03. Freedom Part II feat. Suede (prod. by Apple Juice Kid)
04. Let Go feat. Tyler Woods
05. Once Again feat. Kooley High
06. Get Out of Town feat. Phonte (prod. by David Amber)
07. Skylark (prod. by Freddie Watts)
08. Love feat. King Mez & Thee Tom Hardy (prod. Apple Juice Kid)
09. No Escape feat. Carlitt Durand & Darien Brockington
10. Strangelove feat. Shirlette Ammons
11. Umi Says
12. Good Night feat. 9th Wonder