Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1

Artist: Guru
Label: Virgin Records Us
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 094632199829
EAN: 0094632199829
ASIN: B000003JBM

Release Date: 1993-05-18

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Tracks:

Introduction
Loungin'
When You're Near
Transit Ride
No Time To Play
Down The Backstreets
Respectful Dedications
Take A Look (At Yourself)
Trust Me
Slicker Than Most
Le Bien, Le Mal
Sights In The City

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Customer Reviews:

Jazz + Rap = Jazzmatazz (3.5 Stars).......2006-07-04

Guru decided to create an experimental hip-hop album with a mix of jazz to create Jazzmatazz Vol. 1. To me I thought it was going to be one of many rap with jazzy production albums that came out in the early 90's, but this was different.Instead this time, he picked up some jazz musicians and singers. The guests include" Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Ronny Jordan, N'Dea Davenport, Carleen Anderson, Courtney Pine, Lonnie Liston, and french known rapper MC Solar, amd many more.

Most of the tracks Guru rhymes while the jazz musicians play and sing, which mostly comes out well for the most part. His monotone voice sometimes blend in with the musical vibes on many storytelling vibe tracks like "Down The Backstreets" and the loud alto saxophone produced "Transit Ride". Another nice track is "No Time To Play" with DC Lee singing and Ronny Jordan on the guitars. Production wise is outstandig because it is somewhat live instruments, but not how you'll expect on something like any early Roots' albums or such.

Some tracks I disliked though toward the end of the abum. "Slicker Than Most" and "Le Bien, Le Mal" didn't appeal to me, probably because they changed the mood of the album, and it seemed to be more rapping than jazz making it unbalanced. Lyrically Guru comes off decent on some tracks, which isn't a big deal to many listeners becuase they're not paying attention to that. Other than that it is a very enjoyable album that suffers some flaws. If you like Hip Hop and Jazz, or if you have a taste for experemental music, I recommend this one to you.

Favorite Tracks: Loungin', Transit Ride, No Time To Play, Down The Backstreets, Trust Me, Sights In The City.

Guru - Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1.......2006-05-30

Guru (AKA Keith Elam,), Gang Starr's MC delivered his first in a series of Hip Hop Jazz related releases with "Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1" (1993). I respect Guru's willingness and drive to provide "An experimental fusion of Jazz and Hip Hop" (as stated on cd). Guru's name is short for "Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal". This twelve-track release (including intro and interlude) is an early notable Rap/Jazz collaboration album. Guru gets things started rhyming on the smooth "Loungin", while Donald Byrd plays the trumpet and piano. Guru collabs with female singer N'Dea Davenport on the semi-decent "When Your Near", and then takes his audience on a "Transit Ride", highlight of this cut for me is Branford Marsalis on the Sax. The chorus and rhymes to "No Time To Play" is a bit to repetitive for my liking. Guru with help from Lonnie Liston Smith on the electric piano provides a standout with "Down The Backstreets", Smith's piano play is outstanding, and Guru's rhymes are grimy. With help from Roy Ayers, Guru then drops "Take A Look" (At Yourself), a track which has Guru kicking knowledge, advising his audience to be accountable, and make moves rather then wait for them to happen. N'Dea Davenport returns for another half decent collaboration with Guru on "Trust Me". Guru reps himself on "Slicker then Most" then collabs with French MC Solaar for "La Bien, Le Mal". The album's closer and longest track is "Sights In The City", backed by a soprano sax and flute Guru drops some on point ghetto stories. I agree with reviewer Ziontrain about Guru not yet displaying the lyrical talent (with a few exceptions) that would be found on the Gang Starr albums. Guru for me will always be best remembered for his work with Premo. Bottom line though I have to admit it is hard for me to have the same reverence for "Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1" as Jazz/Rap collaboration enthusiasts. I recommend checking out this release if you enjoy experimental albums.

Does not shine as bright as Gang Starr (sorry for the pun)..........2006-05-15

I got this CD used based on some of the reviews on here. Don't trust them (except me, of course).

I really like Gang Starr. Guru is in Gang Starr. Guru makes a Jazzmatazz record. The next logical step would be for me to like this record, right? Wrong.

One of the problems I found with this album is the music. I don't see how this is a Jazz & Hip-Hop fusion. It sounds like a bad Hip-Hop record with samples of bad Jazz melodies - not new recordings with musicians. The Jazz portion doesn't feel like genuine Jazz. Furthermore, there are too many choruses and hooks. I felt like I was hearing too much of the same thing. Longer verses, musical breaks, anything else would have been better.

My advice: sample it before you purchase it. This is NOT a no-brainer pickup like the review score and the name on the album cover may lead you to believe.

Good, but............2005-03-01

...this album is worthwhile yes, BUT more as a historical document than in its own right. I say this in all honesty as a huge fan of Jazz, Gangstarr and Guru. I thought this album was okay at best, but have never loved it.

Let me explain: This album was indeed one of the early points where legit jazz (not samples) was being truly mixed in with hip hop.

Yet most early efforts eg Ronny Jordan's similar (but more instrumental) effort etc just lacked the right mix of these things. This album suffers from that weakness, despite the strength of the personell and the sincerety of intent by the participants.

If that isnt enough, this album (in my opinion) exposes and intersting fact: Guru perhaps in fact got props for his talent BEFORE it had actually flower. Some of the lyrics here are not only corny but structurally weak.

If you contrast by looking at Gurus work on the last 2 Gang Starr albums (The Ownerz, 2003) (Moment of Truth, 1998) the difference is shocking. There we see Guru as an MC in full bloom, total control of hs gift and throwing off hours of jaw-droppingly precise work. There his legendary status is more than confirmen. In fact if anything he puts forth a case for being greatest of all time there.

That puts anything he did here to shame as far as I'm concerned. In that sense my dissapointment at this album back when it came out is only confirmed: he could - and eventually DID - produce better than what he dropped here.

And musically, I will always think that Primo would be the one to truly bring the jazz & hip hop closer. What he does with samples is beyond incridbe. It is evidence of the kind of ear that would be required to put together a trully compelling mix of contemporary hip hop and live jazz. But for some reason, Primo has never seemed show any (public) evidenence of interest in exploring that. Maybe he doesn't want to step on Guru's toes. We may never now....

But sure buy this Jazzamatazz thing to see what it was like, as a legit historical document of jazz and hip-hop starting to belnd. Just dont expect it to fulfill the hype it always seems to have got.

influential album.......2005-02-10

I was in college at Clark Atlanta University when this album came out. I thought the album was DOPE back then. I was raised on jazz and grew up on hip hop so this was a great album to listen to. For whatever reason most hip hop/jazz albums fail but this one worked...In the college circle this album was either rebuked or recieved luke worm..now this was the early 90's and that DAS EFX typ of rapping was in, hip hop was very closed minded at the time, anything done out of the context of hip hop at that time was rebuked...but coming from San Francisco we tend to have a more open mind to different vibes of music, this album was in the context of two of my favorite genre's of music. I will say this, Guru was really taking a risk with this album a HUGE risk with his fan based, but this album goes to show you that he was not a one dimensional individual. He was not some hip hopper that just stayed in cyphers all day thinking about lyric and stuff. Guru had a vision and he made it come to fruition. It has been...WOW...12 years since this album dropped and it has gained more influence and has been litteraly elevated to a classic, as it should be...IT IS JUST ONE HELL OF AN ALBUM...Jazzmatazz has aged like a fine French wine, the quality gets better over the years.

This is a great album to enjoy whether you are a hip hopper or a jazzman...I will say this Jazz people need to stop acting like such elitist and realize jazz can be integrated in other musical forms...And Hip Hop needs to stop being such and elitist closed minde genre also. Hip Hop has gotten so commercial and watered down, it does not resemble the hip hop of 93'. This album show the best of both worlds...Good Job Guru...you were wayyy ahead of your time on this one...and he still is. I can't see this type of album happening today....

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