Now's the Time: A Vibe Called Def

Although my review of the event was less than enthusiastic, I approved of the concept of last January's jazz rendition of A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory at the Blue Room. The same core cast, including jazz act Diverse, will perform Mos Def's 1999 album Black On Both Sides at the Blue Room on Wednesday, June 22. Jazz purists don't approve, but I'll continue to insist that hip hop occupies the same cultural place held by jazz held in the '30s and '40s.