Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 is a
jazz rap album by
alternative hip hop artist
Guru, released on
May 18,
1993 (see
1993 in music) on
Chrysalis Records. The album revolutionized jazz rap, and is usually considered the first full-fledged fusion of jazz and hip hop. Live backing is provided by a band that includes Lonnie Liston Smith,
Branford Marsalis, Rodney Jordan,
Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers. The album also features collaborations with N'Dea Davenport (of the
Brand New Heavies) and
French rapper
MC Solaar.
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 peaked at #24 and #91 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and the Billboard 200 albums charts. The single "Trust Me" peaked at #50 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart. In spite of the lagging American sales, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 was a commercial success in Europe, where jazz was much more popular in the 1990s.
Track listing
- "Introduction" - 1:20
- "Loungin'" (with Donald Byrd on trumpet and piano) - 4:38
- "When You're Near" (with N'Dea Davenport on vocals and Simon Law on keyboards) - 4:02
- "Transit Ride" (with Branford Marsalis on alto and soprano saxophone and Zachary Breaux on guitar) - 3:58
- "No Time to Play" (with Ronny Jordan on guitar and D. C. Lee on vocals) - 4:54
- "Down to the Backstreets" (with Lonnie Liston Smith on acoustic and electric piano) - 4:47
- "Respectful Dedications" - :54
- "Take a Look (At Yourself)" (with [[Roy Ayers] on vibraphone) - 3:59
- "Trust Me" (with N'Dea Davenport on vocals) - 4:27
- "Slicker Than Most" (with Gary Barnacle on saxophone and flute) - 2:36
- "Le Bien, Le Mal" (with MC Solaar) - 3:21
- "Sights in the City" (with Courtney Pine on alto and soprano sax and flute, Carleen Anderson on vocals and Simon Law on keyboards) - 5:10
Personnel
- Roy Ayers - Vibraslap, Vibraphone
- Courtney Pine - Flute, Saxophone, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, Keyboards, Piano (Electric)
- Ronny Jordan - Guitar
- Jimmy Bell - Engineer
- Guru - Arranger, Vocals, Producer, Mixing
- MC Solaar - Vocals
- Carleen Anderson - Vocals
- Gary Barnacle - Flute, Saxophone
- Zachary Breaux - Guitar
- Donald Byrd - Piano, Trumpet
- Zdar Cerbonschi - Engineer
- N'Dea Davenport - Vocals
- Keith Elam - Executive Producer, Concept Development
- Simon "The Funky Ginger" Law - Keyboards
- D.C. Lee - Vocals
- James B. Mansfield - Engineer
- Branford Marsalis - Saxophone
- Joe Quinde - Engineer
- Kieran Walsh - Engineer
- Ray Burmiston - Photography
- James Bell - Engineer
- Henry Marquez - Art Direction
- Doug Boehm - Assistant Engineer
- Craig Marcus - Engineer
- Michael Benabib - Photography
- David Carpenter - Assistant Engineer
- Diane Cuddy - Design
- Bill Adler - Liner Notes
- Luke Allen - Assistant Engineer
- Marc Villalonga - Photography
External links