DJ Mark Farina is back with his sixth installment in the Mushroom Jazz series. I’ve been a big Mushroom Jazz fan since Mushroom Jazz Vol. 1 and this latest edition doesn’t disappoint. Mark does a great job blending hip-hop and soul into a seamless mix that old fans and newcomers to his music are sure to like. “This Beat”, by Om Record labelmates The Jazzual Suspects, is the perfect lead off track for the album. Mellow at first, the track expands to include a nasty sax sample, which is a great prelude to the funkier tracks that follow. There is even an O.D.B. sample on one of the tracks that makes me miss that crazy bastard!

Hardly a work day goes by where I don’t have one of the Mushroom Jazz installments in rotation as I go about my business. The limited lyrics and smooth track transitions allow me to stay focused and in the groove when I’m knee deep in tags and declarations. There is no doubt that the Mushroom Jazz series is my coding music of choice!