Sound Experiment

As Guru himself put it, the Jazzmatazz series of recordings represent an experimental fusion of Hip-Hop and live Jazz. On this particular installment of Jazzmatazz, Guru (Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal) got some serious heavyweights to lend a hand, with Donald Byrd, Lonnie Liston Smith and Roy Ayers all making appearances.

The track I have chosen to highlight; Take a look (At Yourself) features Roy Ayers on the vibes. Guru's rhyme on this record doesn't match the greatness that is present on several Gang Starr classics, however this track works for me. I particularly relish how the vibe sound is sprinkled all across the steady baseline that drives the record.

A couple of years ago I noticed that my long-standing romance with cRap** music had began to dissipate. I began to lose interest in music that I perceived as weightless. You know it's a problem when you like a song/single for 2 weeks and by the third week you cant even remember the hook or the songs thesis.

As this got worse I found myself pulling from the archives, records by artists like Gang Starr, Nas, EPMD, Wu-tang became staples on the rotation. Along the way I caught wind of a couple underground/ cult/not-major label artists (terms I dislike) like MF Doom and Count Bass D. A connection was instantly made with Count Bass D's music and this quickly evolved into an expansion of my musical sphere.

This post is not about Count Bass D (expect a post on Count soon.)

One of the artists I discovered through my interest in Count Bass D's music is Jneiro Jarel. This MC/Beatsmith, is indeed a rare gem. N.A.S.A is one of my favorite tracks on the album; Three Piece Puzzle, released in 2005. This album is choke full of tracks that will sound very big coming out of your sound system or headphones. Jneiro's music has a cosmic feel to it, a spacey sound that lends itself to a sensation of timelessness. In today's crowded music scene this artist remains unique.

To avoid confusion I will venture to tell you that Jnerio also records under the alias; Dr. Who Dat?, with a new album; Beat Journey released this year.

** I jacked this very descriptive term from the good folks at dallaspenn

Remy Shand's Debut album, The Way I Feel, was released in March of 2002. I don't recall exactly how this record came into my possession, but I know that it has been a staple in my rotation since 2002. This record manages to be fresh every time you listen to it.

Remy Shand a multi instrumentalist, recorded and mixed the entire album in his bedroom studio at his family's home in Winnipeg, Canada. After drooping out of school to focus on music, Remy began playing in various experimental rock bands but had difficulty finding like minded people to create the kind of music that he longed to make.

The Way I Feel is the culmination of efforts by an artist influenced by Mom and Dads old Marvin, Isley and Al Green records, an artist who took time to dig into personal experiences to pen his songs, thus creating a modern day masterpiece.

As I listened to this album on the expressway last night, two songs stuck out to me; Burning Bridges and Rocksteady, the latter being a more up-beat slice of sunshine.

I should be studying for my upcoming exam, but I have wanted to do this for a while. My goal is to share music I enjoy, as opposed to sending emails; you can come here to listen to what the kid is listening to. Sounds like a good idea, right? I will replenish as I feel
Inspired.




This first song is by Be Noir, of a compilation called Lounge Story, I don’t know much about this artist but this song is like a tall glass of ice tea, or whatever it is you like to sip on.

Wake up with me (expired)