In the World from Natches to New York [CD]

In the World... is acclaimed coronetist/guitarist/singer Olu Dara's debut as a bandleader. The tracks on this evocative collection are reminiscent of the past, simply because no one sounds like this anymore; put another way, this album so effortlessly blends Mississippi blues, traditional jazz and African styles that it is effectively a genre unto itself. While Olu serves as narrator for most of the set, his son - multi-platinum hip hop star Nas - does the honors on the track "Jungle."