| Jazzmatazz. | |
| Type: | Studio |
| Artist: | Guru |
| Cover: | GuRuJazzMatt1.jpg |
| Recorded: | 1992–1993 |
| Studio: | D&D (New York City) |
| Genre: | Jazz rap |
| Label: | Chrysalis |
| Producer: | Guru |
| Next Title: | Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality |
| Next Year: | 1995 |
Jazzmatazz, Volume 1: An Experimental Fusion of Hip-Hop and Jazz, is the debut solo studio album by American hip hop recording artist Guru. It was released on May 18, 1993, by Chrysalis Records. The recording sessions took place at D&D Studios, in New York. The album was produced by Guru, who also served as executive producer with Duff Marlowe and Patrick Moxey.
The album combines a live jazz band performance with hip hop production and rapping. It features contributions from singers N'Dea Davenport, Carleen Anderson, Dee C Lee, French rapper MC Solaar, and musicians Simon Law, Branford Marsalis, Courtney Pine, Donald Byrd, Gary Barnacle, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronny Jordan, Roy Ayers and Zachary Breaux.
Guru, quoted in the album's liner notes, talked about his natural affinity for both jazz and rap. "Jazz's mellow tracks, along with the hard rap beat, go hand-in-glove with my voice", he said.[1]
The album made it to number 94 on the Billboard 200 and number 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. In spite of the lagging American sales, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 was a commercial success in Europe, where jazz was much more popular in the 1990s. It peaked at No. 43 in Germany, No. 49 in Sweden, No. 58 in the UK, No. 67 in the Netherlands, and No. 139 in France. It also apeaked at No. 24 in New Zealand, Oceania. Its lead single "Trust Me" peaked at No. 34 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 105 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its second single, "No Time to Play", peaked at No. 25 in the UK. SPIN ranked the album at number 20 on their 'The 20 Best Albums of 1993' list.[2]
The New York Amsterdam News called the album "an experimental fusion of jazz and rap that articulates the ties of Black music through the ages and embodies the quintessence of Afro-American cultures."[3] The Windsor Star noted that "two cuts stand out featuring singer N'Dea Davenport, who offers a fresh voice to the project." The Philadelphia Inquirer determined that "the soloists conjure a variety of deep-hued moods, but Guru stops short of delivering anything more than polite editorials and bland travelogues."[4] Maclean's listed Jazzmatazz as the fifth best album of 1993.[5]
Credits adapted from liner notes.[1]
Musicians
Production
Design