Guru JAZZMATAZZ VOL. II

Personnel: Guru, Baybe, True Master, Jason Kay, Dee C. Lee, Gus Da Vigilante, Lucien, Bu (vocals); Brian Holt (guitar, keyboards, bass); J. Rodriguez (flute, clarinet); Wallace Collins (digerido); Paul Ferguson (piano, keyboards); Jan Kincaid (piano); Dennis Mitchell (keyboards); Stuart Zender (bass); Bernard Purdie (drums); DJ Red Handed, Darren Galea, DJ Sean-Ski, D-Sire (scratches); Panchi Da Wild Commachi (background vocals).
Additional personnel: Kenny Garrett, Freddie Hubbard, Ini Kamoze, Ronny Jordan, Courtney Pine, Reuben Wilson, Jamiroquai, Sweet Sable, Kool Keith, The Solsonics, Donald Byrd, DJ Scratch.
Producers include: The Solsonics, Guru, Carlos Bess, Nikke Nicole, True Master.
Engineers include: Leo "Swift" Morris, Joe Quinde, Kieren Walsh.
Recorded at D&D Studios and Firehouse Studio, New York, New York.
Composer: Guru.
Personnel: Guru (vocals); Dee C. Lee, Bu, Sikken Moov, Lucien, Ini Kamoze, Gus Da Vigilante, Jason Kay, Kool Keith, Meshell Ndegeocello, Mica Paris, Patra, Shara Nelson, Sweet Sable, Bahamadia, True Master, Baybe, Big Shug, Chaka Khan (vocals); Brian Holt (guitar, keyboards); Marc Antoine , Ronny Jordan (guitar); J. Rodriguez (flute, clarinet); Courtney Pine (flute, saxophone); Derrick Davis (flute, alto saxophone); Wallace Collins (didjeridu); Kenny Garrett (saxophone, Fender Rhodes piano); Branford Marsalis (saxophone); Darren Galea (tenor saxophone); Donald Byrd (trumpet, piano); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Paul Ferguson (piano, keyboards); Ramsey Lewis (piano, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer); Jan Kincaid (piano); Reuben Wilson (organ); Dennis Mitchell , Dennis Rodriguez (keyboards); Willie McNeil, Shawn Lee, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums); DJ Scratch, DJ Sean-Ski, DJ Red Handed (scratches, turntables).
Audio Mixers: Eddie Sancho ; Guru; Steve Gursky; Carlos Bess.
Recording information: D & D Recording Studios, New York, NY; D&D Studios, New York, NY; Echo Sound Studio, Los Angeles, CA; Echo Sound, LA; Echo Studios, Los Angeles, CA; EMI Studio, London, England; Firehouse Studio, New York, NY; Firehouse Studios, Brooklyn, NY; Matrix Studios, London, England; Platinum Island Studios, New York, NY.
Photographer: Thierry Le Goues.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Courtney Pine; Freddie Hubbard; Ini Kamoze; Jamiroquai; Kenny Garrett; Meshell Ndegeocello; Mica Paris; Patra; Reuben Wilson; Ronny Jordan; Branford Marsalis; Chaka Khan.
Arranger: Guru.
The follow-up to the heavily acclaimed Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1. This album might not have quite as much jazz-rap power as the first volume did, but it's still quite good. Some of the big guns of jazz found their way into the album, including Branford Marsalis (who, of course, had already experimented with urban beats a bit with his Buckshot Lefonque project), Freddie Hubbard, Ramsey Lewis, and Kenny Garrett. Underground rapper Kool Keith (at this point still a member of the Ultramagnetics) also makes an appearance. Dancehall reggae princess Patra is included on a track, as are Chaka Khan and Me'Shell N'Degeocello; Jamiroquai helps out in another. In some ways, the personnel on this album may be slightly superior to the first outing, but the music also seems a tiny bit blander. Still, what makes the Jazzmatazz albums special is the live synthesis of jazz and rap. With Guru's vocals over the top of live jazz performers (as opposed the usual samples), interplay is facilitated between the two, and thus a whole new dimension is added to the fusion. For someone interested in jazz-rap in general, the first album is a higher priority (as would be Us3's albums, with extensive Blue Note sampling), but this album is still high on the list. ~ Adam Greenberg

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B