“Dapp Theory strives to link the essence of jazz with hip hop

and other forms of musical expression.” — Andy Milne

Canadian-born pianist / composer Andy Milne is one of the most important and respected young voices in jazz today. His innovative band, Dapp Theory, is helping to re-draw and extend the genre's boundaries. An Honors degree student of Oscar Peterson (Toronto's York University), and influenced as much by Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder as by Monk and Tatum, Milne found his own voice during his six-year, twelve CD stint with alto saxophonist Steve Coleman's groundbreaking Five Elements band (1991-97). Coleman's revolutionary M-Base jazz-a divine mix of avant-garde improvisations plus funk harmonics plus hip hop rhythms-forced the pianist to develop an equally idiosyncratic approach to his instrument. "I likened my experience to McCoy Tyner's when he played with Coltrane," recalls Milne. "We were both 24-years old then, and both our leaders provided a original jazz pallet to which we found new situations to respond to musically and creatively."

By 1997, the time had come for the Wizard's Apprentice to work his own mojo. "When I left Steve's band, I had to go through a kind of detox to figure a few things out," says Milne. "I said, 'OK, what can I take away from this experience and blend it with the melodic stuff I was into before I got with Five Elements?'" The answer soon manifested itself in the form of his debut solo recording, Forward to Get Back. Heartened by favorable reviews and the public's response, Milne formed his dream band, Cosmic Dapp Theory, the following year. "I wanted to use the band to tell passionate stories, promote peace and inspire collective responsibility towards uplifting the human spiritual condition," he muses.

One more album (New Age of Aquarius) and five years-worth of North American/European tours later, the re-christened Dapp Theory has at last produced a recording that manifests the pianist's utopian vision to its completeness: Y'all Just Don't Know (CCD-2189), which is released by Concord Records. "It's like jazz fused with hip hop and Bartok," laughs Milne. First of all, the level of melodic-rhythmic-improvisational symbiosis achieved by Mr. M. and his compadres-Grégoire Maret on harmonica, Rich Brown on electric bass, and Sean Rickman on drums / vocals-is totally off the meter. Secondly, Kokayi, a MC/vocalist of unparalleled intelligence and musicianship, is cold rocking the mic. And finally, is the killer blow-progressive folk-rock godhead Bruce Cockburn.

"Bruce represents an entire tradition of singer-songwriter-poet-musicians who have affected social change through the power of their words and politics," explains Milne. "I wanted to pair Bruce with Kokayi, an MC of unparalleled intelligence and musicianship, to explore the similarities between the poetic expression found in hip hop and folk-rock." "Trickle Down" and "Bad Air" -the former a fulminating rhythmic/verbalistic assault on corporate globalization, the latter a minor-key piano-jazzed, rock-rap that links Diallo, Dubya and Wall Street-prove homeboy ain't trippin' out. The equally sublime ethereal tone poem, "Everywhere Dance" ("The dance is the truth, and it's everywhere"), is Cockburn's final collaboration with Dapp Theory, but if you think this is as good as it gets, well, y'all just don't know.

"It's really more about flow," opines Milne, "and combining two sensibilities-songwriting and grooves-into one thing. So, here comes Bruce Cockburn. I wanted to kick off the CD with Bruce, jump right into that flow, while still getting into the Dapp Theory vibe." In other words, think DJ mix tape: "Neoparadeigma's" rococo cowbell-piano-drum 'n' bass seamlessly segues into "In The Moment's" swervey Weather Reportesque fusion funk. A languidly meditative piano/harmonica-infused version of Dizzy's "Con Alma" fades into "Bermuda Triangle's" propulsive/compulsive rhythm-rap ebb and flow. "Patterns of Force's" sprawling martial groove shape-shifts into the wiggy, off-kilter boombap of "Only Clave."

Dapp Theory's Y'all Just Don't Know is both Andy Milne's artistic meisterwerk and vision-concept watershed. "When you look at the CD, you don't see my name as a leader because it really isn't about me. It's a band that comes to life because everyone is so strong on their instrument. Although I compose all the music, it is the individual perspectives of the musicians which really help bring the music alive. The music requires a certain looseness combined with discipline. This band really understands how to deal with these rhythms, how to make them move and keep them fresh every night. I think for me this record has the beginnings of that kind of abstraction." Don't touch that dial!