Guru's Jazzmatazz: Streetsoul (Virgin, 2000) Hey, what? Where did all the jazz go? This one is in a much different direction than the original classic or the followup. Back then, K. Elam, (aka Guru), assembled a stellar collection of new and old jazz stars, including Donald Byrd, Courtney Pine, Roy Ayers, Branford Marsalis, and etc. There's loads of guest artists on this new joint, but the jazzmen are scarce here.
Instead, the emphasis is on "soul," whatever that is, because some of these trax just might find a home on the Sisquo / Timbaland type stations. Uggh. (Did Donell Jones really hav'ta rhyme "baller" with "shot caller?")
But, there are some good cuts. Angie Stone is hot with a very D'Angelesque (no surprise) melody called Keep Your Worries. Erykah Badu is particularly cheeky in a funny duet that is about the only "jazz" oriented track in site, and it's got a real, real, REAL old school flavor (we're talking Bix Biederbecke here!)
Macy Gray is here, and it sounds like she's still gargling with porcupines and flossing with helium. Isaac Hayes reminds us that only punks pass out business cards in night clubs. And, you've got Amel Larrieux, Les Nubians, and even Herbie himself shows up to comp some funky licks. The highlight groove, for me, is from the Roots; Raise Your Fist. Funky bizness, even if Guru's slow, leisurly delivery is not a great match with Black Thought.
And finally, the lyric content is generally not as deep, spiritually, as the original Jazzmatazz. No, it's not mysonginistic like Method Man and Redman; Guru has 2 much class for that, I think... but it does tend a little more towards the bump and grind type stuff.
Is it a disappointment? Time will tell.... but Jazzmatazz volume 1 is a classic disc I still enjoy, and this doesn't seem, on first listen, to be in the same ballpark. (PS.... check out the scholarly Blue Note style liner notes... who does Guru think he is, Lee Morgan or something?
Charles Lloyd. The Water is Wide (ECM, 2000.) OK, this is not acid jazz, or hiphop, or drum and bass, or 2 step garage or jungle or house not house or happy hardcore or any of the other crazy categories y'all are forever coming up with. But goodness, it is hard to imagine that music gets much more beautiful than this.
ECM always has the great recorded sound. Charles Lloyd is, in some people's book, a real, REAL heavyweight saxman, I'm talking, in the Sonny Rollins John Coltrane league. (In other's view, he was the guy that made noise in between Keith Jarrett's solos, back when Jarrett was Lloyd's pianist.)
Oh, but man, this is incredible, lyrical, melancholy, beautiful, and yes, very, very mellow. Check out the lineup; Brad Mehldau on piano, Abercrombie on guitar, Larry Grenadier on bass, and the legendary, fabulous Billy Higgins on drums. Damn, he can swing even on slow tempos.
If Lloyd's tone on "Georgia" doesn't choke you up, there's something wrong with ya. (It kind of reminds me of a smoother version of those slower trax Dexter Gordon played in "Round Midnight." Nicer than nice.
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