Guru Discography + BONUS: Gangstarr Discography

Mello Mello

Ballz of Adamantium
BGOL Investor
One of the first hip-hop records to successfully integrate jazz, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 is a surprising success for Guru. The rapper's warm grooves and laid-back rhymes fit in perfectly with the instrumental tracks provided by a cadre of jazz musicians. The way that the live playing is integrated on this album is different than the way it is done on, say, an Us3 record. On a few occasions, the instrumentalists provide the melodic hook of the song but, more often than not, they are relegated to noodling in the background while Guru raps. Needless to say, this meets with mixed results throughout. The Lonnie Liston Smith collaboration "Down the Backstreets" is a fine track, but the Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers partnerships sound busy and forced. Standout tracks include the two collaborations with Brand New Heavies singer N'dea Davenport. The jazz connection on these songs is minimal at best, but the well-produced tracks and Davenport's sultry voice are compelling on their own merits. As for Guru himself, some of his raps can only be described as awkward, and it is at these moments when the record is weakest. However, the overall vibe of the album is strong, and inane comments from the leader aside ("Jazz is real, and based on reality," Guru says in his introduction), Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 is entertaining, almost despite itself.

Personnel: Guru (rap vocals); Big Shug, Black Jack, Mickey "Mus Mus," The Cutthroats (vocals); Zachary Breaux (guitar); Gary Barnacle (saxophone, flute); Simon Law (keyboards); DJ Jazzy Nice, DJ Jimmy Jay (scratches); Lil' Dap (drums). Engineers include: Joe Quinde, Craig Marcus, Kieran Walsh. Recorded at D&D Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Bill Adler. As half of the pioneering duo Gang Starr, Guru can count himself among a select handful of innovators (DJ Jazzy Jeff, Stetsasonic, Native Tongues) who in the late '80s introduced jazz's tonal complexity into the hip-hop universe. It makes a certain amount of sense then, that his solo debut is actually a series of collaborations with various jazz artists. Although retro by design (the packaging makes use of the classic Blue Note graphic style), and regressive in it's violation of hip-hop's "maximum effect/minimum means" law of production values, JAZZMATAZZ nonetheless opened up a space for a progressive interplay between hip-hop and jazz. The man who picked DJ Premier out of a stack of anonymous demos in the Wild Pitch offices hadn't lost his ear for choosing musical conspirators and here he draws on the talents of fusion legends like Roy Ayers and trumpet virtuoso Donald Byrd. Despite their august presence, some of the disc's strongest moments showcase younger artist like Paris-based MC Solaar and his DJ Jimmy Jay (Le Bien Le Mal), Brand New Heavies vocalist N'Dea Davenport on "Trust Me," and Courtney Pine on "Sights in the City.




Guru - Jazzmatazz Vol. 1 An Experimental Fusion of Hip-Hop and Jazz[1993]

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1. Introduction
2. Loungin - (with Donald Byrd)
3. When You're Near - (with N'Dea Davenport)
4. Transit Ride - (with Branford Marsalis)
5. No Time To Play - (with Ronny Jordan/D.C Lee)
6. Down The Backstreets - (with Lonnie Liston Smith)
7. Respectful Dedications
8. Take A Look (At Yourself) - (with Roy Ayers)
9. Trust Me - (with N'Dea Davenport)
10. Slicker Than Most
11. Le Bien, La Mal - (with MC Solaar)
12. Sights In The City - (with Courtney Pine)


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Guru - JazzMatazz Vol. II (The New Reality) [1995]

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1 Intro (Light It Up) - Jazzalude I - New Reality Style 01:44
2 Lifesaver 04:13
3 Living in This World 04:29
4 Looking Through Darkness 04:48
5 Skit A (Interview) - Watch What You Say 05:03
6 Jazzalude II - Defining Purpose 01:01
7 For You 04:00
8 Insert A (Mental Relaxation) - Medicine 04:19
9 Lost Souls 04:11
10 Insert B (The Real Deal) - Nobody Knows 03:58
11 Jazzalude III - Hip Hop As a Way of Life 01:16
12 Respect the Architect 04:50
13 Feel The Music 03:58
14 Young Ladies 04:12
15 The Traveler 04:01
16 Jazzalude IV - Maintaining Focus 01:17
17 Count Your Blessings 03:32
18 Choice of Weapons 04:24
19 Something in the Past 03:18
20 Skit B (Alot on My Mind) - Revelation 04:35


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GURU-JAZZMATAZZ VOL. 3 - STREETSOUL

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1. Intro
2. Keep Your Worries (featuring Angie Stone)
3. Hustlin' Daze (featuring Donnell Jones)
4. All I Said (featuring Macy Gray)
5. Certified (featuring Bilal and Slum Village)
6. Plenty (featuring Erykah Badu)
7. Lift Your Fist (featuring The Roots)
8. Guidance (featuring Amel Larrieaux)
9. Interlude
10. Supa Love (feat. Kelis)
11. No More (featuring Craig David)
12. Where's My Ladies? (featuring Big Shug)
13. Night Vision (featuring Isaac Hayes)
14. Who's There? (featuring Les Nubians)
15. Mashin' Up The World (featuring JR Reid)
16. Timeless (featuring Herbie Hancock)


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Guru - Jazzmatazz Vol. 4 - The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger - Back to the Future (2007)


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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


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Guru - Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Sun Always Rises [Promo 2007]

01 03:03 Cuz Im Jazzy Feat. Slum Village
02 03:37 State Of Clarity Feat. Common and Bob James
03 03:42 Stand Up Feat. Damian Marley
04 03:29 Look To The Sun (Solar)
05 03:34 Connections Feat. Kem
06 03:27 Fine and Free Feat. Vivian Green
07 03:07 Wait On Me Feat. Raheem Devaughn
08 04:14 International Feat. Bobby Valentino
09 02:23 This Is Art Feat. Ronny Laws
10 03:03 Fly Magnetic Feat. Dionne Farris
11 03:43 The Jazz Style Feat. Omar
12 04:36 Follow The Signs Feat. Shelley Harland
13 03:34 Universal Struggle Feat. Brownman
14 03:13 Infinite Feat. Blackalicous
15 03:43 Kissed The World Feat. Caron Wheeler
16 04:29 Living Legend Feat. David Sanborn


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Guru - Jazzmatazz Live
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Guru - Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures

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1. No Time
2. False Phophets
3. Step in the Arena 2 (Im Sayin’) feat. Doo Wop
4. Don Status feat. Styles P
5. Hood Dreamin
6. Cave In
7. Surviving Tha Game
8. Hall of Fame
9. Talk To Me feat. Jaguar Wright
10. Too Dark 2 See
11. Power, Money and Influence feat. Jean Grae and Talib Kweli
12. Kingpin
13. Fa Keeps
14. Real Life feat. B Real
15. Feed The Hungry
16. Talkin’ Loud and Frontin’
17. Open House
18. I Gotta
19. What’s My Life Like?


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PW:www.rapgodfathers.com


Baldhead Slick & Da Click [2001]

1. Where's Our Money?!
2. Back 2 Back
3. Rollin' Dolo
4.No Surviving
5. Underground Connections
6. Ni***z Know
7. In Here
8. The Come Up
9. Cry
10. O.G. Talk
11. Pimp S**t
12. Never Ending Saga
13. War Tactics
14. Collectin' Props
15. Revolutionist
16. No Grease
17. How You Gonna Be a Killa?
18. Stay Outta My Face
19.The Anthem


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<<<<<<<<<<<<BONUS>>>>>>>>>>>




GangStarr - No More Mr.Nice Guy (1989)

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GangStarr - Step in the Arena (1991)

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GangStarr - Daily Operations (1992)

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GangStarr - HARD TO EARN (1994)

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GangStarr - Moment of Truth (1998)

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GangStarr - FULL CLIP (1999)

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GangStarr - THE OWNERZ(2003)

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Gangstarr - Mass appeal Best of (DVD)

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hanginbals said:
Nice drop! Guru was the shit back in the day.And Primo STILL be doing his thang!!

Yeah I had to do a discography dedication to him for the release of his new album. Hip hop needed that. He just blind sided me with that release. I didn't see it coming.
 
Mr.Still Fly said:
damn Mello... I just ripped all of this last night... to post here.... good looking tho man. Some good music here!
Drop it anyway rogue probably gonna need re-ups later anyway.
 
I don't see Jazz Thing. That's the precursor for all that Jazzmatazz.
Not that awful version from the Mo Betta Blues soundtrack, but the
version they did in the video

Been looking for a HIGH RES version of that for years. I have a 192K
MP3 already
 
RunawaySlave said:
I don't see Jazz Thing. That's the precursor for all that Jazzmatazz.
Not that awful version from the Mo Betta Blues soundtrack, but the
version they did in the video

Been looking for a HIGH RES version of that for years. I have a 192K
MP3 already

Good looking out. Yeah I know which one your talking about. Thanks for reminding me. I have the same version at 128K. Post up that joint you got.

GangStarr - Jazz Thing.mp3 - 4.34MB
 
On my top 5 favorites of all time. I've got all of these on CD but I'll be taking couple of the newer ones. Thanks. RIP Gangstarr.
 
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