Valtteri Laurell - Won't Do
Description
Taken from the album Visions of Dilla, Won’t Do is a marvellous reimagining of J Dilla’s original beats that showcases the album’s absolute proof of Dilla’s own, oft quoted, maxim ‘I don’t like to limit myself creatively. I’m always exploring new sounds and styles’. Well it’s fair to say that Finnish jazz producer Valtteri Laurell together with co-producer Teddy Rok (Teppo Mäkynen of Five Corners Quintet, Stance Bros. etc.) have been true to Dilla’s ethos here with an amazing big band arrangement of Won’t Do which flows like aural poetry throughout its 5 minutes and 28 seconds of sublime groove.
Featuring flautist Elena Pinderhughes, whose collaborations include playing alongside Herbie Hancock, Common, Esperanza Spalding, Lionel Loueke and Carlos Santana. Along with Valtteri’s own 17 piece Ricky-Tick Big Band, Won’t Do exemplifies the magic that can be created when top of the range Jazz musicians are given free reign over the beats and melodies of a genius like J Dilla.
Valtteri explains that’ as with the rest of Visions of Dilla, Won’t Do conjures up Bob James and Henry Mancini vibes in the arrangements along with the spirit of Gil Evans and the later works of Duke Ellington. There is something quite incredible going on with Won’t Do and maybe best summed up by J Dilla’s own words, ‘I don’t want people to just listen to my music; I want them to feel it’. Feel it you most certainly will.
‘Won’t Do’ is released as a high res. digital download and is taken from the digital & vinyl LP ‘Visions of Dilla’ released by BBE Music.
Released: February 10th, 2026