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by Nosakhere Boardi special to Xmprint According to Guru, the architect of the Jazzmatazz project, I better “watch what I’m sayin”in thisalbum review. Possibly tiredof critics trying to tear down his experimental fusion of jazz and hiphop Guru issues his plea for us to just “Respect the Architect.” Guru is known to the world as the rough, and rugged rap lyricist of Gang Starr. His partnership with the ingenious DJ Premier assured Gang Starr solid footing in the rap world album after album. In 1993, Guru dropped his solo projectiuzzmatllu Volume I, heralding a new era in hip-hop - an era when seasoned hip-hop veterans with the most street credibility could dabble in softer, more instrumental forms of music without falling off the seilout cliff. On Jaz.gnatau I, we saw Guru working with Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Courtney Pine, Ronny Jordan, and MC Solaar. Some jazz
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purists snubbed their noses at this attempted melange of hip-hop with their now socially elevated be-bop. Some hip-hop purists squeezed their nuts in protest at what they perceived as a lullaby move to crossover rap. But the whole spirit of Jazzmatazz is none ol’thtx thlncs. It’s not necessarily intended to fin into any of these rigid molds. Now in 1995, Jumw~az~ Volumc II: The New Reality, has been delivered. On Vhune I[ we see Guru teaming up with people like Me’Shefl N’Degeocello, Sweet Sable, Ini Jamiroquai, Kimoze, Chaka Khan. Mica Paris, Donald Byrd, and Bahamadia. Courtney Pine, and Ronny Jordan are also back once more on Volume If, ensuring the same quality of sound. The album listens like a mixed bag of funk. Contained within that bag is a different funk flavour parcel for everybody. Each song features the architect vibing with a different artist or group of artists, making the end product a compilation of micro-projects, all hosted by his majesty, the Guru. The first single released from the album “Watch What You Say,” quickly climbed its way up both the R&B and hip-hop charts. It features vocals by the legendary Chaka
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Khan, rhymes of course by Guru, and intricate hip-hop beats by the super-talented DJ Premier. With each of these three talented artists doing what they do best, the song can’t help but slam. However, I can’t help but admit that Chaka Khan’s singing of the chorus does become annoying at times as she belts out “watch what you say” in a little girl, “I’m gonna tell my daddy” drone. Another single released is “Respect the Architect.” This song in my diary, is the champion of the album. It features the abstract,
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freestyle flow lyricist Bahamadia. Her style is absolutely unique and stands as her signature in the hiphop ledger. Unique enough, in fact, that Guru is forced away from his monotone power style and fmds himself flowing and adding on to everything that Bahamadia delivers. Other tracks that can’t be overlooked include “Medicine,” a hymn to buddu cess, where the architect teams up with Ini Kimoze. Here Guru finds it easier to match the rugged style of Kimoze. “Lost Souls” and “Lifesaver” brings the vocal intro into the verse; a key change indicates the chorus with bright backing vocals which is repeated following drum variates. The progression in song intensity with another guitar feature coneludes alongside expressive vocals in what ends the best track of the disc. Disappointingly, after the third
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Wanderlust is a group that got its start playing basement parties in the Pennsylvania suburbs. The group features Scott Sax on lead vocals and guitar and also taking on the duties as writer. Bob Bonfiglio performs on backing vocals and carries the task of lead guitarist, while MarkLevin plays the bass and Jim Cavanaugh is on drums. Tunes like “Wanna Feel New” feature smooth electric guitar and polished flowing vocals, while “Prize” uses a cymbal beat to showcase the guitar solo, during which quiet whiny scream vocals and a very rhythmic bass and drums contrast with the rolling chorus. “I Walked” is the first single which established the group with its bass intro, cymbal shimmer, and guitar pattern overlay. A guitar chord
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track, the album loses quality and tails off. Cornier lyrics like “there’s so many fish in the ocean/why you
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Kom’s self-titled album can best be described as across between Rage Against the Machine and Primus, but not quite as good as either of the two. Almost every song features a driving guitar mixed with various effects, coupled with a heavy bass line that keeps the song moving. Each song sounds tight and well-layered. The difficulty is that the album’s twelve tracks tend to blend into one another, as they all sound extremely similar. None of the songs are particularly bad, but you get the feeling that if there had been only eight or nine tracks with the same amount of creative
input, the final product would have been much stronger. Judging by the press release, the quintet seems to have gone through the obligatory angst-ridden youth of drugs and disillusionment. For instance, the lyricist comments that the song “Helmet in the Bush” is “ . . .about a speed problem that I had. You know, you do a lot of speed and if you’re male, your penis retracts severely...Speed takes your soul away, I’m trying to tell people that in this song.” You can almost feel the hurt, can’t you? Well, not quite. The potential is there, and sp few of the verses in some songs hit home, but that’s as far as it goes. Another track that stands out is “Shoots and Ladders,” a song whose lyrics consist entirely of old nursery rhymes. Like much of the rest of the album, the music is hard driving and very good, but the lyr-
are some of the more political 1y conscious songs on the album. They feature Guru espousing views on black-on-black violence, urban decay, and corruption. Guru’s sincerity and concern are more than evident on these tracks. He can be criticized, though, of partiality of consciousness. On one track he may be boasting about how many sucka m.c.‘s he’s going to smoke (hence violent imagery), but then calling for an end to senseless ghetto violence on another. If you’re a rude bony, you’re a rrru’e ~M/o?:. True rude h:v(y- don’t shed ant: tear for the streels. On the whole the album is ground breaking, simply because of the astounding amount of talent it assembles into one recording. In fact, the album not only symbolizes a musical unity but also a spiritual unity amongst musicians from various backgrounds and lifestories. Unfortunately, unlike its predecesSW Jazzymtau I, Volume 11 has stepped into a musical arena where it can no longer set the standard for the jazz-hip-hop fusion. With groups such as the Roots and Digable Planets now also on the hip-hop scene, creative standards have been raised to a very high level. wanna swim with the same one” in the song “Troubled Man” are put to plainer, duller musical tracks. While “Sundial” attempts mellowness, “Coffee in the Kitchen” exhibits a poor choice in contrast between chorus and verse, with a sound that doesn’t work and the chorus seeming out of place in the tune. A bluesy Beatlesque “Deepest Blue” unfortunately has an annoying pause in the middie of the song that ruins the flow while “Brand New Plan” with its allusion to Gilligan’s Island demonstrates starvation for lyrical material and ruins the possibility of making something of the good, though repetitive, tune. This album in general lacks lyrical quality, with mostly first person songs to the point of tedium. Though some songs sound okay, and while the musicianship is top notch this is lost with the poor quality in lyrics and lack of quality tunes throughout. Expect the band to progress in these areas and perhaps release some stellar work later. its had my roommates and I in tears with laughter. At one point, the singer screams out “Knickknack-patty-whack-give-a-dog-abonelThis old man came rolling home” a number of times in the same tone as Rage Against the Machine’s chorus from “Killing In the Name Of.” It’s hilarious, though it’s not supposed to be - the angst is seriously in need of some focus here. I have to admit though, the song grows on you after a while. Even if the lyrics don’t always achieve the intended effect, the music makes up for it in most cases. The two do come together
on a few
tracks that offer a little more experimentation, but the highlights seem to get lost in the shuffle of the endless heavy bass and guitar that typifies the album. All in all a good effort, but the band needs to focus a little more on quality, not quantity.