Publishing can be an incredibly lucrative field. Whenever a rapper sampled a recording in the '80s and '90s, the person who owned the publishing stood to make some big bucks -- that is, if the rapper had permission. Some MCs made the mistake of sampling tunes without permission, which resulted in major lawsuits. When Blue Note/Capitol assembled this collection of soul-jazz and jazz-funk in 1993, it encouraged hip-hop, urban contemporary, and acid jazz artists to sample the recordings (which span 1967-1975). But it also stressed that legal clearance would be required -- unless, of course, you wanted to face a lawsuit. And asking for permission is most definitely the right thing to do; as many dues as veteran jazz artists have paid, they certainly deserve monetary compensation whenever their work is sampled (assuming they kept their publishing). Not everything on Blue Break Beats, Vol. 2 is a masterpiece, but overall, it's an enjoyable collection of soul-jazz and jazz-funk. Most of the tunes are from the Blue Note vaults, although Gerald Wilson's infectious, Latin-flavored 'Viva Tirado' (which became a big hit for El Chicano in 1970) was actually recorded for Pacific Jazz. None of this material is for jazz purists or bop snobs; Blue Break Beats, Vol. 2 is strictly for those who like their jazz laced with a lot of R&B, and listeners who fit that description are the ones who can appreciate funky, groove-oriented numbers like Lou Donaldson's 'The Caterpillar,' Grant Green's 'Ain't It Funky Now,' and Donald Byrd's 'Beale Street.' Make no mistake: what you hear on this CD is a commercial approach to jazz. But commercial doesn't necessarily mean bad, and for the most part, Blue Break Beats, Vol. 2 demonstrates that jazz can be accessible and still have integrity. ~ Alex Henderson