When I was a kid my favorite genre of music was Hip Hop and I had little interest in Jazz. That changed completely when I discovered Guru's “Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1” album on CD at a Virgin Megastore while on a family summer vacation in Paris in the early 1990s. The album was featured prominently in the Hip Hop section of the store and had a sticker on the plastic wrap that said “Featuring MC Solaar”, who was a famous French emcee at the time. I instantly knew I would buy the CD because I was already a huge fan of Gangstarr, a Rap group comprised of Guru on vocals and DJ Premier on production. Guru's Jazzmatazz album is near and dear to my heart for two reasons: it helped make Jazz music “cool” to me, and expanded my sonic palate to include international Hip Hop artists. It was also a huge commercial success in Europe.

Arguably it was A Tribe Called Quest who first used jazzy live instrumentation in 1991 on their classic album “The Low End Theory” where they collaborated with the great bassist Ron Carter. Even though I loved that album, it wasn't until I got older that I truly realized the live Jazz elements used there as it was more sparse compared to the totality of Jazz-Rap fusion and live instrumentation present on Jazzmatazz. I should also mention the 80s rap group Stetsasonic was the first to use live instrumentation on a Hip Hop record and their producer Prince Paul would go on to work with De La Soul, a member of the Native Tongues family with Tribe Called Quest. While those projects paved the way for a full blown Jazz-Rap concept in Jazzmatazz, the Jazzmatazz album itself would pave the way for live band Rap groups like The Roots to take the concept even further as evident in their 1995 release “Do You Want More?!!”. Guru, who sadly passed away in 2010, should not only be regarded as one of the greatest emcees of all time, but also given proper dues and respect as a progenitor of the Jazz-Rap crossover genre. He was the main creative force behind the making of Jazzmatazz.

On this project Guru assembled a superstar lineup of Jazz musicians. Guru also is credited as having arranged, mixed and produced the album. It was recorded in 1992 at D&D studios in NYC. The Chrysalis Records label released the album in 1993. I was lucky to see Guru perform live with his group Gangstarr on two different occasions and I will always cherish those moments. One show was at a college where the Black Eyed Peas opened for them (I honestly couldn't wait for BEP to finish their set and leave more time for Gangstarr). The other show I saw was even better as they played with Erykah Badu, Common and The Roots (a superstar line-up).

​The vinyl itself: My copy is a reissue pressed in 2016. A big issue with many rap vinyl pressings is sibilance and I'm happy to report that this record does not have a high amount of sibilance. The bass response is clear and does not muddy the overall mix. The horn sections are usually panned wide and given the space they need to sit alongside Guru's vocals smoothly. The cover art emulates old Blue Note records with solid blue in the upper third containing the album title while the rest of the frame features an extremely cool looking green tinted B&W picture of Guru exhaling smoke in front of a microphone, surrounded in darkness save for one bright light on his face. The backside of the cover contains extensive liner notes and credits, again in the style of classic Blue Note releases. Guru says in the liner notes: "Jazz's mellow tracks, along with the hard rap beat, go hand-in-glove with my voice."

Song by Song breakdown:

“Introduction”
Guru gets straight to the point and explains his ideas behind the project alongside a trumpet. A nice relaxing introduction.

“Loungin”
Features Donald Byrd on trumpet and piano. The boom-bap beat blends seamlessly with Byrd's relaxing trumpet notes. When listening you can close your eyes and imagine sitting in a smoky jazz club and mellowing out to this amazing music. Some critics say that Guru's lyrics are too simplistic, however I believe the simplicity is equal parts accessible and deceptively complex. Guru himself said it's “mostly the voice” that matters, meaning his amazing tone, delivery and cadence. On those merits he excels with his vocal work. There are also interesting conversations between Guru and Donald Byrd embedded in the song about the music industry.

“When You're Near”
Features N'Dea Davenport on vocals and Simon Law on keyboards. A great groovy bass-line accentuates the keyboard chords. N'Dea's voice is smooth and seductive and she's given equal time on the track with Guru which strikes a fantastic balance.

“Transit Ride”
Features Brandford Marsalis on alto and soprano saxophone and Zachary Breaux on guitar. My favorite track on the album. I love the interplay between the sax and guitar. The song creates an atmosphere that succeeds in making you feel like your are on the metro. Guru's cadence on here is stellar and the rhythm keeps your head bouncing. Marsalis' mix of saxophones and melodic playing is equally relaxing and stimulating.

“No Time to Play”
Features Ronny Jordan on guitar and D.C. Lee and Big Shug on vocals. Smooth jazzy guitar licks are prominent in this upbeat track. D.C. Lee sings a great chorus that's infectious and easy to sing along to.

“Down the Backstreets”
Features Lonnie Liston Smith on acoustic and electric pianos. Though many Hip Hop artists have sampled Lonnie Liston Smith's records, Guru one-ups them by actually having the musician himself play on his record. The rhythmic swing in his piano playing here induces lots of head nodding.

“Respectful Dedications”
Similar to the Introduction, where Donald Byrd prefaced his feature track by playing a short trumpet line while Guru spoke, this track gives a preview to Roy Ayers' vibes while Guru converses.

“Take a Look (At Yourself)”
Features Roy Ayers on vibraphone. Another staple in Hip-Hop sampling appears in the flesh to perform on Guru's album. This is my third favorite track on the album as I'm a huge fan of Roy Ayers work. I love Guru's simplistic hook and it's fun to rap along to. The vibes on here are absolutely magic and exude sweetness.

“Trust Me”
Features N'Dea Davenport on vocals. The most traditional Rap/RnB sounding track on the album that works to balance out the stronger jazz fusion elements of the other songs.

“Slicker Than Most”
Features Gary Barnacle on sax and flute. It's so fresh to hear a flutist soloing underneath an emcee rapping. These fusion elements are what make Jazzmatazz so unique and valuable.

“Le Bien, Le Mal”
Features MC Solaar in an outstanding international collaboration. You know an emcee is talented when you don't speak their language and they still capture your attention. His tone mixes perfectly with Guru's and together they made a beautiful song. It's my second favorite track on the album.

“Sights in the City”
Features Courtney Pine on alto and soprano sax and flute, Carleen Anderson on vocals and Simon law on keys. A beautiful closer as Guru tells a serious story against a backdrop of more bluesy style Jazz fusion.

Final Score:

5.0 out of 5.0 Octaves.
All serious music collectors should own this record.   ​

In November 1984, the veteran Manchester rock band The Smiths released their first compilation album, “Hatful of Hollow”. Earlier that year the band had great success with their self-titled album which reached number two on the UK Albums chart and solidified The Smiths as one of the country's preeminent rock bands. One of the signature elements of the group was the idiosyncratic pairing of vocalist and frontman Morrissey's dark and introspective lyrics with the catchy and bouncy melodies of guitarist Johnny Marr. “Hatful” is comprised mostly of sessions recorded for BBC Radio 1 paired with a few fantastic singles and b-sides. I believe it to be one of the strongest compilation albums cut during the peak of a band's popularity.

The vinyl itself: The pressing is a heavy 180 grams with minimal background noise. Not only is the mastering satisfactory, but the gatefold record cover features a great large B&W picture of the band. The insert has all the lyrics printed which is necessary for such a great album to sing along to. Overall I'm very satisfied with this reissued vinyl release from 2012.

Song by Song breakdown:

“William, It Was Really Nothing”
The album opens with one of the best singles by the band. The song exemplifies the darker lyrical content ironically mixed with the fun and upbeat instrumentation. Morrissey's inspiration for this was, according to him, a serious lack of male singers “speaking directly to another male saying that marriage was a waste of time...”. It's a fantastic opening track which sets the mood for the rest of the album.

“What Difference Does it Make?”
Continuing the upbeat tempo from the opener, this track absolutely rocks. Apparently this is one of Morrissey's least favorite songs they ever made, which seems crazy to me! I just love how the song ends with his high pitched adlibs. The rhythm section is also very tight on this tune.

“These Things Take Time”
Gorgeous melodies throughout especially during the chorus. When he sings the word “spellbound” I get chills.

“This Charming Man”
I could write “gorgeous melodies” as a description for every song on this album quite honestly. Marr employed a jangle style on the guitar lines, which is characterized by an undistorted and heavy treble sound. Morrissey's lyrics focus on sexual ambiguity and he uses a first person narrative technique which show off his storytelling abilities.

“How Soon is Now?”
The second song title on the album that's actually a question. It's also my favorite song and the one that got me into the band. Marr's distorted guitar effect is hypnotic and the lyrical content is an absolutely brilliant piece of sociological analysis.

“Handsome Devil”
Superb drumming here by Mike Joyce exemplified by the double snare hits. The first person narrative of the lyrics follows a man suffering from an unhealthy obsession with sex and desire.

“Hand in Glove”
Propelled by Andy Rourke's beautiful bass-line, Morrissey sings about a couple with different views on their relationship and how they are perceived by society. There's also a bit of harmonica in the song that works well.

“Still Ill”
More harmonica begins the song, which utilizes a fast tempo full of energetic instrumentation, and yet Marr's guitar lines are soothing and calming. The song ends with another short harmonica solo.

“Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now”
My second favorite song on the album. The epitome of depressive lyrical content mixed with happy, jangle pop melodies. It's an infectious blend that soars through your eardrums and ensures a permanent place in your head canon. There are also some darkly funny lines sung by Morrissey in this classic song.

“This Night Has Opened My Eyes”
My third favorite song on this record. A slower, and darker instrumentation backing for Morrissey's vocals comes at a perfect place in the tracklisting. The song is relaxing and thoughtful.

“You've Got Everything Now”
Another track that shows how amazing the drummer is with fantastic fills throughout the song. Morrissey shows off his falsetto skills during the end of the track.

“Accept Yourself”
Features more introspective lyrics from Morrissey. The music leaves a smile on my face and my head nods along to the beat like clockwork. “I once had a dream and it never came true.” How can such sad lyrics on a song still make me smile? Such is the great irony of The Smiths.

“Girl Afraid”
Beginning with a jangle style guitar break by Marr, the narrative of the song moves between the two perspectives of a boy and a girl each dealing with their insecurities. Absolutely brilliant music.

“Back to the Old House”
A beautiful acoustic song. Morrissey's angelic voice glides over Marr's sublime guitar.

“Reel Around the Fountain”
Pulsing bassline drives this incredible song about loss of innocence and sexual relationships.

“Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”
Another acoustic ballad with sparse electric guitar lines mixed in periodically. This short song works perfectly as the album closer. There is not a weak track on this album in my opinion.

Final Score:

5.0 out of 5.0 Octaves.
All serious music collectors should own this record.