Guru

Guru, one half of the critically acclaimed hip-hop duo, Gang Starr, began releasing his own collaborative solo albums in 1993 under the creative collective name of Jazzmatazz. The ongoing series showcases Guru's collaborations with top hip-hop, R&B, and jazz artists, merging hip-hop with jazz in a style that has, in turn, influenced both genres. On February 12, Virgin/EMI will release The Best Of Guru's Jazzmatazz, an 18-track CD and digital collection presenting together, for the first time, the best cuts from the groundbreaking series' first three volumes and rare bonus tracks.

The Best Of Guru's Jazzmatazz includes the hits "Lift Your Fist" with The Roots, "Trust Me" with N'Dea Davenport, "Watch What You Say" with Chaka Khan and Branford Marsalis, and "Keep Your Worries" with Angie Stone, as well as collaborations with Donald Byrd, Kelis, Ramsey Lewis, Erykah Badu, Lonnie Liston Smith, Jamiroquai and others. Also included are three rare bonus tracks : "Choices" with N'dea Davenport and Bobbi Humphrey from the Once In The Life soundtrack, "Loungin' (Jazz Not Jazz Mix)" remixed by Smash, and "Respect The Architect (Buckwild Remix)" remixed by Buckwild.

For a solid span of the 1990s, Gang Starr's Guru and DJ Premier were at the forefront of hip-hop with an infectious, jazz-infused sound. A Donald Byrd horn blasting from a car in 1993 was, more often than not, part of a Gang Starr production. When Guru's Jazzmatazz, Volume 1 was released that year, Guru was best known as Gang Starr's MC, while the duo's production was handled by DJ Premier, whose neck-snapping signature beats virtually define '90s hip-hop.

Guru's vision for Jazzmatazz respects and reveals similarities and complementary elements between hip-hop and jazz. Both genres' focus on rhythm and improvisation, coupled with Guru's balanced and fluid approach to his musical blends, have eased the way for artists to come together and participate in an entirely new musical experience within the creative realm of Jazzmatazz.

Collaborating with a diverse group of old school jazz greats including Donald Byrd and Ramsey Lewis and a new generation of artists like Courtney Pine and MC Solaar, Guru has crafted a signature hip-hop style, based in the streets and elevating the genre's jazz influence and respect for its artists. While others in hip-hop have sampled Lonnie Liston Smith, Guru has worked with him.

The best of the inspired collaborations from Guru's first three Jazzmatazz volumes are now available in one stellar collection with the release of The Best Of Guru's Jazzmatazz.