GURU'S JAZZMATAZZ (ABO #383)

FEEL THE MUSIC by
GURU'S JAZZMATAZZ

Ex-Gangstarr's Guru died not so long ago. While I'm not that fond of the work of his original band, I find his Jazzmatazz series to be quite appealing. Indeed, it was a bold move to mix real jazz with hip-hop when the first volume was released and since the album was of good quality, it pleased be then and still does now. Sure the sequels haven't all been of that caliber but, on every one of them, I found enough quality to decide that project was worth compiling for Baistophe's Black Month.
So, here's a tribute to Guru with what I consider the finest of the Jazzmatazz Series. Enjoy.

RIYL :
US3, Digable Planets, Dream Warriors

ME'SHELL NGEDEOCELLO (ABO #382)

ME'SHELL NDEGEOCELLO
IN TRANSIT

For those who only know her most famous singles, Me'Shell Ngedéocello may appear as a relatively common r'n'b artist. That is a huge mistake and a dire misunderstanding of this one of a kind artist. Me'Shell has so many faces she may very well be a mirrorball-image of what quality modern black music should sound like. On top of the soul/hip-hop thingy, which she does pretty damn well, this lady has proven to be a versatile and curious composer that can handle rock, folk, jazz just as well as she does with soul and hip-hop. Of course, not all of her eight albums are of the same quality but every one of them has moments of grace that can seldom be found with any other artist in today's black music scene. In that, one can easily compare her to Nina Simone whom also could touch about every musical genre she wanted and make it her own. I bet you Me'Shell will have a long and productive career and will continue to amaze and surprise us. This 2 hours compilation tries to be an introduction to her unique world. Enjoy.

My ME'SHELL NDEGEOCELLO Top 3
1 - Bitter (1999)
2 - The World Made Me the Man of My Dreams (2007)
3 - Peace Beyond Passion (1996)

RIYL:
Erykah Badu, Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading

LOFOFORA (ABO#353)

LOFOFORA

LA OU CA FAIT MAL

(1994-2008)

Making Lofofora took me back to my very late college years. Listening to associative local radio, I found everything that I wanted to discover. Those amateur radio shows were different from usual national radio shows. They were playing music that no other radios would play : punk, metal, classic rock, progressive rock, ... One night I then discovered Lofofora with their song L'oeuf. At that time I was expecting big sound and Lofofora was exactly what I was waiting for.

That rap-metal music with has got a huge punk spirit: they covered Les Béruriers Noirs, and their lyrics really fit that philosophy. Against fascism, hatred, violence, they funilly put violence against itself. As lead singer Reuno Wangermez uses to say : "when it hurts you don't only say ouch, you scream, so we scream." This centense resumes by itself the whole thing about Lofofora : A huge sound against what's disturbing, hitting only where it hurts.

LOFOFORA amnes History
envoyé par zeuman. - Regardez la dernière sélection musicale.

My Lofofora TOP3 :

1. Peuh! (1996)

2. Les Choses Qui Nous Dérangent (2005)

3. Dur Comme Fer (1999)

My Lofofora BOTTOM3 :

1. Mémoires De Singes (2007)

2. Le Fond Et La Forme (2003)

3. Lofofora (1995)

JAVA & R.WAN (ABO#208)

JAVA & R.WAN
LES ROIS DU CALEMBOUR (MOI L'MOU)
(2000-2009)

Java is just the most unexpected bands in France. No one could have imagined such music to be made. Indeed, Java has been melting both traditionnal french (parisian) music (called musette, playe with an accordion) and hip hop. The result can surprise but what is surprising is that it sounds really great ! Java's strength is overall the lyrics, sung in french, which are very humourous always playing with words, like did some french singers like Boby Lapointe or Pierre Vassiliu. Of course, anyone who cannot understand perfectly french, this will be hard to follow but the music reminds and is not as boring as hip hop usually is. Included in the baistophe are songs from frontman R.Wan who made 2 solo albums that really sound like Java's ones.

My Java/R.Wan TOP :
1. Hawaï (2000)
2. Maudits Français (2009)
3. Safari Croisière (2003)
4. [R.Wan] Radio Cortex (2006)
5. [R.Wan]Radio Cortex 2 (2007)

MC SOLAAR (ABO#066)

MC SOLAAR

LA VIE N'EST QU'UN MOMENT

(1991-2008)

A little bit of hip-hop has never hurt anyone for good. Although SFP and I are not really into this kind of music, we admit being truly open minded to any new sound. That was what happened when I discovered french rapper Claude "MC" Solaar. What impressed me was not really the music, although I'm mainly into it, but the words. Indeed, for a french rapper, the lyrics of his ... songs are really well crafted and often poetic. This artist really makes me like hip-hop. But don't think too fast, this french rap is very far from those shitty gangstarap. This is really sweet to hear !

1. Qui Sème Le Vent Récolte Le Tempo
2. Victime De La Mode
3. Caroline
4. Bouge De Là, part 1
5. Obsolete
6. Nouveau Western

7. Séquelles
8. Prose Combat
9. Listen
10. Onzième Commandement
11. La Vie N'Est Qu'Un Moment
12. Les Colonies
13. C'Est Ca Que Les Gens Veulent
14. Playmate
15. Jardin D'Eden
16. Cash Money
17. Da Vinci Claude
18. In God We Trust
19. Mollah Solaar (remix
20. Avec Les Loups
21. Rabbi Muffin





My MC Solaar Top 7 :
1. Qui Sème Le Vent Récolte Le Tempo (1991)
2. Prose Combat (1994)
3. Chapitre 7 (2007)
4. Mach 6 (2003)
5. Paradisiaque (1997)
6. Cinquième As (2001)
7. Solaar (1998)