Earplug: What's up with this new jazz project you're working on?

Carl Craig: It's about Tribe -- [trumpeter] Marcus Belgrave, [trombonist] Phil Ranelin, [drummer] Doug Hammond, [saxophonist] Wendell Harrison, and [pianist] Harold McKinney, who's not with us anymore. It's a project based around music these guys wrote and released 30-35 years ago. We've done new versions of [their material]. Basically, I'm producing an album for this music that I really love and have a lot of pride in. These are fellow Detroiters and legends as well. It's a re-presentation of these guys, re-introducing them to the world.

EP: Have you finished the recording sessions or are you still working on it?

CC: Yeah, we recorded the album. I've had a lot of other obligations that have been going on, but I'm on a pursuit of perfection with this music, so I want to make sure that it's the most perfect record that I could ever make. I want to make sure every piece fits correctly, so that people who love Marcus, Wendell, and Phil will love this record, while kids used to hearing music completely synthesized and sequenced can get into it too. As I go through the album, I just want to make sure everybody is on point. It will be the perfect jazz record. We're going for our Grammy win this year! [laughs]

EP: Did you play along with them, or are you strictly acting as producer?

CC: We went into the studio together and I just guided them through the process. My role was like a coach, but ultimately it was as a fan. It's way different compared to making a record of my own stuff, where I'm involved with every aspect of it. I had a lot of help from Kelvin Sholar, my right-hand man musically. I leaned on him a lot to find the best young musicians we could, as well as some friends of Tribe that came and joined in, like Ralph Armstrong, who played on an early Tribe record. There's a lot of history that comes with Tribe. They have mentored a lot of young kids from the '70s who became prominent musicians, like James Carter. You can relate Marcus Belgrave in every aspect of Detroit music because he's mentored somebody, somewhere, sometime. Marcus has an indirect influence on hip-hop because he mentored Amp Fiddler, and Amp Fiddler was the one who taught J Dilla how to program MPCs. Tribe isn't just a few guys that made a couple of records back in the day. These are guys that have been ultra active in the Detroit music community and have a very prominent influence.

EP: What's the principal reason you're doing this record?

CC: It's completely a labor of love. There's no marketing strategy for a record like this, other than the fact that they're legends and they make great music. It's not like they're going to stand up onstage and dance like Chris Brown or something. I try to work on whatever I can stand behind and really, what I do with it makes a statement. I try to work with special things, and this is a very special project to me.