nonstophiphop JAZZMATAZZ NORTH AMERICAN TOUR, 2007 PHOTO BY CHELSEA GRAY
HIP HOP RETROSPECTIVE, PT. III FEEL THE BEAT DROP, JAZZ AND HIP HOP By Harrison Samphir
espite their many differences, hip hop is someD times called the “jazz of the younger generation.” Both musical traditions, after all, share a rich cultural heritage. Where jazz appeared as early as the late-nineteenth century in the dance halls of New Orleans, hip hop evolved in urban black communities in 1980s New York City. By 1993, hip hop was approaching the zenith of its ‘golden age’. Emcees were breaking new lyrical ground; producers experimented with increasingly abstract sounds, and dug deeper into crates for esoteric samples. Of this era, jazz rap might be the most provocative innovation, an attempt to meld cool and soul jazz elements and sampling with hip hop beats and rhyming. Groups like De La Soul, Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest (Native Tongues Posse) eventually popularized an alternative version of the genre, but the artists on this list — the third chapter in Stylus Magazine’s “Hip Hop Retrospective” series — were some of the first to debut albums recorded entirely with a live band.
US3 Hand on the Torch Blue Note Records 1993 Blue Note Records is among the most iconic jazz imprints in the United States. Founded in 1939 by German-American record executive Alfred Lion, the label helped popularize modern and experimental jazz forms, notably “hard bop”, in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Thelonious Monk, Jimmy Smith, Horace Silver and John Coltrane were some of its prominent artists. The label made an indelible mark on jazz music and, with it, the cultural milieux of mid-century America. Its influential releases, from conventional — Cannonball Adderley’s Somethin’ Else (1958)— to avant garde — Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch! (1963)—remain genre touchstones, and its classic album covers and vinyl packaging continue to inspire new generations of graphic designers.
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Blue Note’s most intriguing impact, however, was felt in the sphere of hip hop. Since the arrival of sampling, its recordings have appeared on hundreds of rap albums in the last three decades. Madlib’s Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note (2003) and Questlove’s 2008 compilation Droppin’ Science: Greatest Samples from the Blue Note Lab, are two contemporary examples. Us3 is a London, England-based jazz rap group best known for its debut LP, Hand on the Torch, released on Blue Notes and designed based on samples from some of the label’s best-known releases. The album features live instrumentation including trumpet, tenor sax, guitar and piano, and rapping by Rahshaan Kelly, Kobie Powell and Tukka Yoot. True to its inspiration, the tracks flows with intermittent freestyling, poetry slam and acid jazz breakdowns. Us3 still cuts records — its latest, The Third Way, was released in 2013 — but Hand on the Torch was one of the first successful jazz-rap classics, reaching number one on Heatseekers in 1993. GURU Guru’s Jazzmatazz Vol. 1 Chrysalis Records 1993 When Guru (Keith Elam) passed away in April, 2010 following a battle with cancer, the hip hop world lost one of its most thoughtful and conscientious mentors. As one half of Gang Starr (DJ Premier) Guru was a rare example of an emcee with poetic, philosophical and urban appeal. He understood his art form as not simply a musical expression, but a cultural one. Jazzmatazz saw Guru step away from the dominant sound and lyrical themes of Gang Starr’s catalogue, and explore the fusion of rap and live instruments. Jazz greats like Ronny Jordan, N’Dea Davenport, Roy Ayers and Lonnie Liston Smith accompany more than 30 others on a diverse set of 14 tracks. From the mellow vibes of “No Time to Play” to “La Bien, Le Mal” featuring French rapper MC Solaar, each song incorporates a wide range of percussion, brass and horns, along with samples of James Brown, Freddie Hubbard and The Crusaders, to name a few. Interviewed about the project in 1993, Guru claimed “[the record] was always experimental… I
knew it was an idea that would spawn some historical music.” In the years before his death, Guru went on to release three more instalments of Jazzmatazz; each one (1995/2000/2007) living up to its original concept of blending two kindred styles in contemporary fashion. Today, the debut record is a testament to Guru’s storied career, his passionate desire to unearth the roots of hip hop and pay homage to its pathfinders. JUSTICE SYSTEM Rooftop Soundcheck MCA Records 1994 Soon after the Roots’ first album Organix sparked mainstream industry buzz about jazz rap in the United States, Justice System dropped its own brand of up-tempo live band hip hop with Rooftop Soundcheck in 1994. Though it’s now regarded a forgotten classic, the first release from the San Francisco-based group pioneered a sound that’s not unlike the two other records on this list. Featuring glossy rhythm guitar, sizzling tenor saxophone, Rhodes piano and deft drums, along with the down-to-earth rapping of Jahbaz and Folex, the album vibes with the raw appeal of a live performance. Its lead-off single “Summer in the City/Take it to the Stage” even received some heavy rotation on MTV, galvanizing underground fans with its conscious subject matter and spontaneous instrumental segments. Tracks like “Soulstyle” and “Just Becuase” channel the patented vintage funk grooves of the ‘70s, complete with afrocentric rhymes and sharp storytelling. Others, like “Flexin’ the Ill Funk” feature a more typical hip hop beat with repetitive guitars, but incisive, politically-charged lyrics Rooftop Soundcheck is an unheralded jazz rap staple despite its release during the greatest year for hip hop ever (see the previous edition of Hip Hop Retrospective in the April/May, 2014 issue of Stylus Magazine). Still, that’s no excuse not to cop this record today… Don’t sleep! Find new and used copies of these albums at Discogs. com or your local record shop.