Days Aweigh

Released in 1987 on the JMT label, Days Aweigh is Cassandra Wilson's second album and a cornerstone of the M-Base (Macro-Basic Array of Structured Extemporization) movement. Unlike the earthy, Americana-infused jazz she would later perfect on Blue Note, this record is a sophisticated blend of jazz fusion, funk, and avant-garde pop. Produced by Stefan F. Winter, the album features a stellar lineup including Steve Coleman and Jean-Paul Bourelly, whose angular guitar work and complex rhythmic concepts define the record's 'free-funk' identity. The album is notable for its use of 80s technology - synths and crisp digital production - to create a futuristic jazz landscape. While it includes a few standards, they are radically reimagined to fit the album's tight, interlocking rhythmic grid. Critically, it is viewed as the bridge between Wilson's early experimental phase and her eventual superstardom, showcasing her technical vocal prowess in a demanding, non-traditional setting.