A voice that won't be forgotten

RIP Keith “Guru” Elam: July 17, 1966 – April 20, 2010

Last night one of my favorite artists died of cancer-related causes, if you followed this blog at its best days, you know that Guru was very important to me, since his album Jazzmatazz vol.1 was one of the albums that got me into Hip-Hop, and I can honestly say that there would never be no rapdungeon without Guru, just like a lot of our favorite mc's wouldn't ever rhyme if they cheard Gang Starr first. I'm glad I had a chance to see him perform live and to have his autograph (as you can see in the picture). R.I.P. Guru, your voice and importance to Hip-Hop will never be forgotten.

Changes of Atmosphere

Dela [2008] Changes of Atmosphere

If the Jazz Liberatorz album really didn't do it for you, this will, and if you haven't heard the french producer Dela prepare yourself for a smooth jazzy hip-hop album with an incredible guestlist. One of 2008's finest albums.

1. Changes of Atmosphere (Intro) (feat. Liza Garza)
2. I Say Peace (feat. J-Live)
3. Live the Life (feat. J. Sands)
4. The City (feat. J-Live & Surreal)
5. Won't Do (feat. Miles Bonny)
6. Stress (feat. Queens Connex & Termanology)
7. Long Life (feat. Talib Kweli)
8. Veuillez veiller sur vos reves (feat. Les Nubians & John Banzai)
9. Vibrate (feat. Blu)
10. How to Fish (feat. Reach)
11. The Plan (feat. Dynas)
12. It Is What It Is (feat. Naledge)
13. Chill (feat. Large Professor & Meemee Nelzy)
14. Changes of Atmosphere (feat. Supastition)
15. Live the Life (Original Mix) (feat. J. Sands)
16. Chill (Lark Chillout Mix) (feat. Large Professor)

Oh, and I forgot to say in my last posts, go say welcome back to Ariel :)

Fruits of The Past

Jazz liberatorz [2009] Fruits of The Past

If you were following my blog before I stoped posting, you probably heard the French beatmaking trio's last album. Now they are back with another jazz-rap fusion, with quests from Mos Def to Fat LIP. Enjoy


01. Music Is My Mind Pt. 1
02. Loop Prisoner
03. What’s Real (ft Emanon)
04. Dark Keys (ft M’Selem)
05. What’s Next On The Menu
06. Music Makes the World Go Round (ft Declaime) (20SYL Remix)
07. Force Be With You (ft T.Love)
08. Diggin Sound
09. It Was Only A Song
10. Always Something
11. My Style Is Fly (ft Fat Lip)
12. Capture Your Mind
13. A Paris
14. After Party (ft Wildchild) (Jazz Lib Remix)
15. That’s Right
16. Mountain Sunlight (ft Mos Def)
17. Breathing Pleasure (ft Rico)
18. Music In My Mind Part 2
19. That’s Reality
20. Blue Avenue
21. Back Packers (ft Fat Lip)
22. Slow Down
23. Force Be With You (Drum Brothers Remix)
24. My Style Is Fly (Dela Remix)
25. Music Makes The World Go Round (ft Declaime)
26. What’s Next

Oh, no he didn't! More Jazz-Rap?!

Artofficial (2007) Stranger EP

"Imagine Soulive with a harder edge or The Roots, but jazzier, denser, and more spontaneous. Envision blending your favorite groups from Hip-Hop’s Golden era and replacing their sampled beats with Jazz musicians." -CDBaby

ArtOfficial consists of Danny Perez on Keys, Manny Patino on Drums, Ralf Valencia on Bass, and Keith Cooper on the Saxophone with the vocals provided by emcees Newsense and Logics.

Another 2007 Jazzy album I missed, a must-listen.

01. Big City Bright Lights

02. Gone

03. Clockwork

04. Eyes of A Stranger

05. Remember The Day

The Jazz is back

Jazz Liberatorz (2008) Clin D'oeil

Brand new album from this french group composed by DJ DAMAGE, DJ DUSTY and MADHI. If you're like me, you'll only need look at the group name and guestlist to know this is going to be REALLY good.
Like Brand New Heavies did 16 years ago (damn, 16?), the group makes jazzy music and invites great MC's to rap over, from Fatlip (Pharcyde), to Asheru, Sadat X or Apany B. I'm really tired so I won't write more, but I recommend this one. Jazz-rap is just one of the best things to ever being created.

1 - Clin d’Oeil
2 - Easy Mind feat. Tre Hardon, Fatlip & Omni
3 - i am Hip Hop feat. Asheru
4 - When The Clock Ticks feat. J. Sands
5 - Genius At Work feat. Fat Lip & T. love
6 - Indonesia feat. Tableek from Maspyke
7 - The Process feat. Apany B. Fly
8 - The Return feat. Saddat X
9 - U Do feat. Stacy Epps
10 - Cool Down feat. Rashan Ahmad
11 - Take A Time feat. Buckshot
12 - Vacation feat. J. Live
13 - Speak The Language feat. Lizz Fields
14 - Quidar feat. Soul Clan

Back to the Future

Guru (2008) Jazzmatazz - Back to the Future (The Mixtape)

You know the Gang Starr days aren't comming back, not even the early Jazzmatazz days are comming back, and you also know what I think of Guru's new "Superproducer" Solar. Anyway, I'll still be checking everything that Guru drops, as wack as it gets. But this mixtape isn't wack, in fact, I found many of the tracks pretty good, besides the remixed tracks, it has collabos with Zion I, Lor Tariq, Aceyalone, Mr. Lif, C.Knowledge (of Digable planets) and the amazing Blue Scholars.

Unlike his other work with Solar, this actually has some Jazzy laid back beats that we all love to hear Guru rapping over. This > Jazzmatazz vol. 4.

1. Intro (Don Gurizzy)
2. Knowledge f. Lord Tariq
3. 7 Grand Ya'll f. Solar
4. For Ya Mind f. Zion I
5. Peace! f. K-Born / Highpower / Solar
6. State of Clarity (Solar Remix) f. Common
7. Who Got It On Lock f. Doo Wop
8. B-Boy Kamikaze f. Tony Touch & Doo Wop (Diaz Brothers)
9. Too Slice f. Yungun
10. So What It Do Now f. Aceyalone
11. We Got That f. Nature & Solar
12. Jazzy Wayz (7 Grand Exclusive)
13. Stand Up (Some Things'll Never Change) (Reggae Mix) f. Damian Marley
14. Hot Like That f. Medinah
15. No Need for Stress f. Mr. Lif
16. Back to the Future f. Caron Wheeler & C.Knowledge (Digable Planets)
17. Assasino f. Young Pablo
18. The Game Needs Me f. Blue Scholars & Common Market
19. Feed the Hungry (Solar Remix)
20. Can't Stop the Movement (7 Grand) f. Ms. Camille

Mystery Repeats

Pete Philly and Perquisite [2007] Mystery Repeats

So I'm back, I'm not to talk about my vacations (which were cool if you're wondering), and I'm going straight to the music. If you've been following my blog you know Pete Philly and Perquisite are a fresh english-speaking dutch group with a jazzy style that I love, if you don't, then I guess it's the time to expand your horizons. In my opinion, I think they're other album is a lot better, but judge it yourself.

01. Clap Kick Flow
02. Womb To Tomb
03. Fish To Fry
04. Hectic
05. Q&A
06. Believer
07. Awake
08. Traveller (feat. Erminia Fernández Córdoba & Ricardo Rivera)
09. Last Love Song
10. Freestyle
11. Third Degree
12. Balance (feat. GMB)
13. Empire
14. High Tide
15. Mystery Repeats
16. Time Flies

I still have some catching to do, but there are a few new albums that are "best of 2007 list" worthy, make sure you look out for new posts.

RE-UPPED

The Jazz Council

Sinuous Productions (2007) The Jazz Council

Brand new record for my Jazz-Rap heads.

1. Street Musicians
2. All The Finest Things
3. Watcha Step
4. Up In The Spot
5. Keep It Moving
6. Analyze Da Prize
7. Try To Knock My Hustle
8. Fiend For A Pen
9. One For The Money
10. No Introduction
11. Baby Please Come Home
12. Thats Bad
13. Make Way
14. Mixed Emotions
15. Everybody
16. "We Came Here To Get Down, "
17. Whispers From The Dark
18. Jazz Tribute (Secret Track)

Say What!?

US3 (2007) Say What!?

Brand new album by the jazz-rap group. Check out Europe: Reviews for more info.

1. Say You Belong To Me (3:28)
2. Man On Top (4:34)
3. ABC (Listen Up) (5:16)
4. Afrodisiac (4:39)
5. I Don’t Care (4:16)
6. VIP (Can You Hear Me Now?) (4:36)
7. Truth & Lies (4:02)
8. Intoxicated (3:29)
9. The Day That I Died (7:03)
10. How ‘Bout It Baby? (4:59)
11. If You Don’t Know (5:11)
12. I’ll Be Right Back (4:49)
13. Money On My Mind (4:08)

Contemporary Jeep Music

Da King & I (1993) Contemporary Jeep Music

I found this album a couple of days on a blog called From Da Bricks, claiming to be "The Most Underrated Album Of All Time", so I downloaded it, and I loved. I wonder how I hadn't heard it before, because it's without a doubt a forgotten east-coast classic. Just check the reviews at Amazon.

1) Intro (Contemporary Jeep Music)
2) Let's Take a Trip
3) Flip da Scrip
4) Interlude 1 (MC A$$h*le)
5) Krak da Weazel
6) Interlude 2 (Amusement Park)
7) Brain 2 U
8) Tears
9) Soul Shack Interlude
10) Ghetto Instinct
11) Mr. All That
12) Interlude 3 (Jazz Skit)
13) This is How We Do
14) Interlude 4 (Izzy Sings da Blues)
15) Lost My Mind
16) Represent
17) Crack da Weasel (Dat Other S***)
18) What's Up Doc

The Original Baby Pa

Deda (1995) The Original Baby Pa [Produced by Pete Rock]

As requested, another forgotten '95 Pete Rock produced album, if you liked InI's album, check this one.

1. Everyman
2. Baby Pa
3. How I'm Livin'
4. Blah Uno
5. Can't Wait
6. I Originate
7. Markd4death
8. Nasty Scene
9. Nothing More
10. Press Rewind
11. Rhyme Writer
12. Too Close
13. Understand?

Center Of Attention

InI (1995) Center Of Attention [Produced by Pete Rock]

Another forgotten jazzy classic, by group formed by Rob O and Grap Luva, fully produced by the one and only Pete Rock. What more do I need to say?

1. Intro (H.I.M.)
2. No More Words
3. Step Up
4. Think Twice
5. Square One
6. Life I Live
7. Kross Roads
8. To Each His Own (feat. Q-Tip and Large Pro)
9. Fakin' Jax
10. What You Say
11. Props
12. Center Of Attention
13. Grown Man Sport
14. Mind Over Matter
15. Don't You Love It
16. Microphonist Wanderlust

Jazzmatazz Vol. 4

Guru [2007]

Jazzmatazz Vol. 4 - The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the Future

01 - Cuz I'm Jazzy (ft. Slum Village)
02 - State of Clarity (ft. Common & Bob James)
03 - Stand Up [Some Things'll Never Change] (ft. Damian Marley)
04 - Look to the Sun [Solar]
05 - Connection (ft. Kem)
06 - Fine and Free (ft. Vivian Green)
07 - Wait on Me (ft. Raheem DeVaughn)
08 - International (ft. Bobby Valentino)
09 - This is Art (ft. Ronnie Laws)
10 - Fly Magnetic (ft. Dionne Farris)
11 - The Jazz Style (ft. Omar)
12 - Follow the Signs (ft. Shelley Harland)
13 - Universal Struggle (ft. Brownman)
14 - Infinite (ft. Blackalicious)
15 - Kissed the World (ft. Caron Wheeler)
16 - Living Legend (ft. David Sanborn)

Dear Guru

I seriously think that you should stop working with your "superproducer" Solar (at least on the Jazzmatazz series) and work with real Jazz musicians like you did on Vol. 1, also, you should feature real Jazz singers instead of crap like Bobby Valentino.

Thank you for your time.

Blanket

Urban Species (1999) Blanket

As requested, the other Urban Species album, enjoy. Make sure you check the other post if you haven't.


1. Changing Of The Guard (feat. Terry Callier)
2. Destructive
3. Blanket (feat. Imogen Heap)
4. I Wonder
5. Woman
6. Predictably Unpredictable (feat. Imogen Heap)
7. Rockstar
8. Religion And Politics (feat. Terry Callier)
9. Reality Check (feat. MC Mell'O', Taipanic)
10. Tomorrow People

Urban Species

Urban Species (1994) Listen

Urban Species are a London rap outfit on the UK acid-jazz label Talking Loud. One listen to the album and it's easy to see why; their mix of live instrumentation and samples owes more to the laid-back jazz-funk shuffle of UK bands like Galliano and the James Taylot Quartet than to hardcore US-rap exponents such as Public Enemy.
The music capitalizes nicely on its jazz-funk base to take in gentle forays into reggae , swingbeat, 90's soul, Latin percussion, utilizes acoustic guitar on the title-track and even rock-guitar and P.E. style squeals on "Gotta Have It".
If you like the jazz inspired rap album I usually post, then you cannot miss this one.

1. Hide and seek
2. Gotta have it
3. Musikism
4. The ropes
5. Spiritual love
6. Just a matter of time
7. Listen (feat. MC Solaar)
8. The consequence
9. The experience
10. No particular title
11. Brother
12. Light at the end of the tunnel

Hands on the Torch

US3 (1993) Hands on the Torch

Another Jazzy rap classic for all the jazzy rap classics fans. I'm kinda busy so I'll just copy the review from Ron Wynn of AMG.

Hip-hop/jazz fusionisters Us3 have forged the most elaborate union between the styles since the early days of Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest. Blue Note's vast catalog gives them a huge advantage over several similar groups in terms of source material, and classic sounds by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, and Herbie Hancock provide zest and fiber to their narratives. Indeed, when things falter, it's because the raps aren't always that creative. They are serviceable and sometimes catchy, but too often delivered without the snazzy touches or distinctive skills that make Quest and Gang Starr's material top-notch. But when words and music mesh, as on "Cantaloop" or "The Darkside," Us3 show how effectively hip-hop and jazz can blend.

1. Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)
2. I Got It Goin' On
3. Different Rhythms, Different People
4. It's Like That
5. Just Another Brother
6. Cruisin'
7. I Go to Work
8. Tukka Yoot's Riddim
9. Knowledge of Self
10. Lazy Day
11. Eleven Long Years
12. Make Tracks
13. The Darkside

Another Jazz-Rap Classic

Brand New Heavies (1992) Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1

What happens when you put a great British jazz band and the some of the best mc’s around on the same album? You got a Jazz-Rap masterpiece! I know most of my visitors, like me, enjoy this style of Hip-Hop so I don’t understand how I haven’t posted this album yet. Too bad a volume 2 never came out. Enjoy this one.

1. Bonafied Funk (feat. Main Source)
2. It's Gettin Hectic (feat. Gang Starr)
3. Who Makes The Loot? (feat. Grand Puba)
4. Wake Me When I'm Dead (feat. Masta Ace)
5. Jump N' Move (feat. Jamalski)
6. Death Threat (feat. Kool G. Rap)
7. State Of Yo (feat. Black Sheep)
8. Do Whatta I Gotta Do (feat. Ed O.G.)
9. Whatgabouthat (feat. Tiger)
10. Soul Flower (feat. The Pharcyde)

Transitions

Arts the Beatdoctor (2007) Transitions

If you liked Pete Philly's albums check out this one, it's also from Unexpected Records, and it features some guestspots by Pete Philly.

Dutch beatsmith Arts the Beatdoctor releases his debut album and It stirs up a complex stew of emotions: melancholy being one of the most tongue-catching ingredients, supplemented by foreboding, a few tablespoons of tension and a few splashes of release. Comparisons to artists such as DJ Shadow, Krush and RJD2 spring to mind with his blend of atmospheric and cinematic jazzy hip hop beats. With featurings by Pete Philly, Skiggy Rapz and The Proov, Transitions became a very personal and introspective album which can't be left unnoticed by anyone interested in true music.

01. Blending Quality
02. The Anthem ft. Pete Philly
03. Laughs, Drinks, Jokes, Tricks
04. Revolve ft. Esther
05. Crazy Times ft. Skiggy Rapz
06. Split Personality Part I ft. Sense
07. All Of Us ft. Pete Philly
08. Fragments
09. Decreasing Daylight
10. Transitions ft. The Proov
11. Irreversible
12. Remember
13. Reprise
14. Mellow Drama
15. The Zone ft. Pete Philly