Remember DJ Jazzy Jeff? If the name conjures a wave of nostalgia for the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, you’ll enjoy his newly released ” Summertime: The Mixtape ,” a joint project with Mick Boogie , mix-tape specialist. It’s a compilation of 49 short tracks, most of which evoke a lazy, relaxed summer pace. Snippets of summer-themed classics like Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay,” Kool and the Gang’s “Summer Madness,” Seals and Croft’s “Summer Breeze,” and Will Smith/Jazzy Jeff’s own hit, “Summertime” share billing with songs that just make you feel obligation-free: Montel Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It,” Skee-Lo’s “I Wish,” Biggie’s “Can’t You See.” The art of the mix tape has come a long way since Jazzy Jeff’s heyday, but this one feels deliberately anachronistic. And while that means Jazzy Jeff’s soft spot for slow jams and saxophone overlay sometimes veer into the elevator-esque, mostly it’s a fun soundtrack for backyard barbecues, preferably played from your old boom box.
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