It's a spontaneous mix of soul, hip-hop, jazz, rap and reggae. It's a compilation of over 16 established musicians with a relaxed, smooth sound. It's an album titled Guru's Jazzmatazz: Streetsoul and it marks the evolution of an artist on a long road to success.
Guru, the anchor in this diverse crew of vocalists (including the Roots, Macy Gray, Herbie Hancock, Erykah Badu, Kelis, Junior Reid, Isaac Hayes and Angie Stone), was a key player in the album's creation and production.
He made himself a "wish list" of artists and producers whom with he had always wanted to work. The completion of this album, the third in a line of such collaborative works, is the fruit of this wish list.
"You know what I'm most proud of?" Guru asked in a recent interview. "I got all these people together, young artists 19 to 25 years old, plus older generation artists like Herbie Hancock, as well as beautiful, wonderful women, and it all blends together so well. It was all about spontaneous collaboration, sometimes I would lead the direction of a track, sometimes the other artist would lead," Guru said.
Guru started making records in 1986 before hooking up with DJ Premier to form Gang Starr records in 1988. Since then, the artist has switched labels three times before signing with his present label, Virgin. DJ Premier, along with The Neptunes and DJ Scratch joined Guru in the production of the third Jazzmatazz installment.
"The first Jazzmatazz was before its time. The second was called The New Reality, and was moving more in the direction of the third. It was all fun though. This third Jazzmatazz is timeless. I would represent it even if I weren't on it. It's here for the long term," Guru said.
Sweet, smooth and lilting female vocalists shape the most captivating tracks on the album. Erykah Badu commands attention in her playful role in the Retro-style track "Plenty." Angie Stone takes a stand against scrubs in "Keep Your Worries," with lines like the following:
"Keep my name out your mouth/ Until you got somethin' worth talkin' about. Keep your hands to yourself/ 'Cause I belong to someone else."
Guru's stoic, consistent and sometimes redundant performances often take second to his guest artists' illustrations of the stories his songs attempt to tell. Nonetheless, the album keeps the listener attentive to the lyrics — all written by Guru himself — as well as relaxed by the mellow beats.
International influences are present in the album as well.
Spanish mingles with English in one song's interlude and French sensations Les Nubians accent "Who's There," a song about a prostitute's loneliness, with a serenade in their native language. Junior Reid's reggae beats in "Mashin' Up the World" bring a Jamaican flair to the compilation.
The highlight of this album as a whole is its diversity. Each track has its own signature sound and theme.
Guru has succeeded in incorporating each of his guest artists' established styles into an individual piece, which compliments both parties' talents.
Some tracks were written and recorded in the same day as a collaborative effort between Guru and guest artists, and the spontaneity is apparent in the creative energy the album emits.
With poppy flavors of rap, soul, funk and just a hint of jazz, Guru's third Jazzmatazz effort may well have found its time.
The scheduled release date for Guru's Jazzmatazz: Streetsoul is Oct. 17.
