Monsieur Leroc I'm Not Young But I Need The Money CD

Sugar Hill Harlem, NYC, by way of Stuttgart Germany: Monsieur Leroc keeps his Piano in nearly the exact same place in which Duke Ellington wrote his classic "Take the A Train". The only difference being one apartment floor in the old St. Nicholas Ave. building which they both have called home. This is where the neo-soul movement of today puts on its dancing shoes. In his third release, Monsieur Leroc pleads guilty with the working class title "I'm not young, but I need the money", but the sympathy stops there. Some where between DJ Shadow, and Jamie Lidell, Leroc doodlebugs into precise form with the albums opener "Cooley McCoolsen". You quickly get the idea that Leroc just wants you to get some, or get something. "I'm not young, but I need the money" is deconstructed and reassembled by Leroc in his home studio in Harlem and also features many guest vocalists and musicians that add all new elements to what has now become a signature Monsieur Leroc sound. Guests include Josh Fischel from "Bargain Music", Los Angeles MC's: AWOL One, 2 Mex, and Radioinactive, German vocalist Lazlo Loco, and Brooklyn crooner Courtney Mace. Leroc's music has been used in such TV shows as Malcolm in the Middle, CSI Miami, and Commander in Chief. You could wonder what it would sound like if Curtis Mayfield used Pro Tools and had a penchant for Underground Hip-Hop or you could just as easily listen to the latest and greatest release from Monsieur Leroc.

A clever array of sounds permeates this outing by the inventive dancemaster Monsieur Leroc. Though not as complex as Marvin Gaye and the soul legend's unique body of production work, the artist is certainly a student of that part of the musical landscape. As far out as Parliament/Funkadelic during their wild '70s explorations -- though milder and with more manners -- a segment like "P.off" unintentionally ripples with Sly Stone musings, a little "Family Affair" bubbling under the dance beats. Courtney Mace and Bargain Josh add much to the thick, grooving undercurrent, which trances on for close to seven minutes. "Baby" is low-key Prince from the 1999 era, a good diversion found somewhere inside the 46 minutes and 38 seconds that make up I'm Not Young But I Need the Money. German dancehalls are overflowing with American music, riding the wave of the U.K.'s vibrant Northern soul scene, and Arne Drescher in this incarnation takes that devotion further with Jerry Lee Lewis samples all over "Great Balls." It's a strange mutation of the Killer's neo-rockabilly evolving into what feels like an evening of Earth, Wind & Fire bandmembers having a musical tug of war on-stage. Jerry Lee's in-your-face sexuality simmers on the stove here, some kind of prelude to "Freewheelin' Frankie," an ode to Sinatra and a place that goes even further back in the time machine. Leroc unabashedly turns bachelor pad music on its head, though his sincerity is obvious and part of the charm. If Esquivel is the serious older brother, Monsieur Leroc is the kid who puts his inquisitive mind to good use while the elder sibling is not using the chemistry set. I'm Not Young But I Need the Money concludes with a multimedia track of "Cooley McCoolsen," the hipster opening cut that grooves steamier than Charles & Eddie or Terence Trent D'Arby at their most velvety sublime. ~ Joe Viglione

Monsieur Leroc: Arne Drescher.