Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality

Last updated
Jazzmatazz, Volume II: The New Reality
GuruJazzmatazz2.jpg
Studio album by
Guru
ReleasedJuly 18, 1995 (1995-07-18)
Recorded1994–1995
StudioMain sessions

Additional sessions

  • Platinum Island Studios (New York, NY)
  • Matrix Studios (London, UK)
  • Echo Studios (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Unique Studios (New York, NY)
  • EMI Studios (London, UK)
  • The Hit Factory (New York, NY)
  • Brooklyn Sound (Los Angeles, CA)
Genre
Length1:13:53
Label Chrysalis
Producer
Guru chronology
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1
(1993)		Jazzmatazz, Volume II: The New Reality
(1995)		 Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul
(2000)
Singles from Jazzmatazz Volume II (The New Reality)
  1. "Watch What You Say"
    Released: 1995
  2. "Feel The Music"
    Released: 1995
  3. "Lifesaver"
    Released: 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Muzik Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Source Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Spin 7/10 [7]

Jazzmatazz, Volume II (The New Reality) is the second solo studio album by American hip hop musician Guru. It was released on July 18, 1995, through Chrysalis Records as the second installment of the rapper's Jazzmatazz album series.

Contents

Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios and at Firehouse Studio in New York, with additional recording at Platinum Island Studios, Unique Studios and The Hit Factory in New York, at Matrix Studios and EMI Studios in London, and at Echo Studios and Brooklyn Sound in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Guru himself, along with the Solsonics, Carlos Bess, DJ Premier, Mark Sparks, Nikke Nicole and True Master.

It features a large number of contributors, including Big Shug, Branford Marsalis, Courtney Pine, Dee C Lee, Donald Byrd and Ronny Jordan, who previously appeared on the first Jazzmatazz album, as well as Bahamadia, drummer Bernard Purdie, Chaka Khan, Freddie Hubbard, Ini Kamoze, Jamiroquai, Kenny Garrett, Kool Keith, Lucien Revolucien, Meshell Ndegeocello, Mica Paris, Ramsey Lewis, Reuben Wilson and Shara Nelson among others.

In the United States, the album peaked at number 71 on the Billboard 200 and number 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

The album also peaked at No. 8 on the Swiss Hitparade, at No. 12 on the UK Albums Chart (also No. 2 on the UK R&B Albums Chart), at No. 19 on the Sverigetopplistan, at No. 24 on the Offizielle Top 100, at No. 25 on the Official New Zealand Albums Chart, at No. 28 on the Ö3 Austria Top 40, at No. 30 on the Dutch Album Top 100 and at No. 39 on the ARIA Charts.

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Intro (Light It Up) / Jazzalude I / New Reality Style" Keith Elam Jez Colin
  • The Solsonics
  • Guru (co.)
1:44
2."Lifesaver" (featuring Baybe and Lucien)
  • Elam
  • A. Evans
  • Guru (co.)
  • Carlos Bess (co.)
4:13
3."Living in This World" (featuring Sweet Sable)
  • Elam
  • Nicole Miller
 
  • Nikke Nicole
  • Guru (co.)
4:29
4."Looking Through Darkness" (featuring Mica Paris)Elam
4:48
5."Skit A (Interview) / Watch What You Say" (featuring Chaka Khan)
4:38
6."Jazzalude II / Defining Purpose"Elam
  • Colin
  • Willie McNeil
  • The Solsonics
  • Guru (co.)
1:02
7."For You" (featuring Me'Shell NdegéOcello)ElamElamGuru4:10
8."Insert A (Mental Relaxation) / Medicine" (featuring Ini Kamoze and True Master)
 
  • Mark Sparks
  • Guru (co.)
4:19
9."Lost Souls" (featuring Jay Kay)
  • Carlos Bess
  • Guru (co.)
4:12
10."Insert B (The Real Deal) / Nobody Knows" (featuring Shara Nelson)Elam
  • Elam
  • Norman Connors
Guru3:58
11."Jazzalude III / Hip Hop As a Way of Life"Elam
  • Colin
  • McNeil
  • Shawn Lee
  • The Solsonics
  • Guru (co.)
1:17
12."Respect the Architect" (featuring Bahamadia)
ElamGuru4:51
13."Feel the Music" (featuring Baybe)Elam
  • Elam
  • Ray Hayden
Guru3:57
14."Young Ladies" (featuring Kool Keith, Big Shug and Patra)
ElamGuru4:12
15."The Traveler"
4:01
16."Jazzalude IV / Maintaining Focus"ElamColin
  • The Solsonics
  • Guru (co.)
1:18
17."Count Your Blessings"ElamElamGuru4:03
18."Choice of Weapons" (featuring Gus Da Vigilante and Dee C Lee)
  • Elam
  • Deron Johnson
 Guru4:24
19."Something in the Past"ElamElamGuru3:19
20."Skit B (Alot on My Mind) / Revelation" (featuring Bu)
  • Elam
  • Steven Johnson
4:35
Total length:1:13:53

Personnel

Vocalists

Musicians

Production

Technicals

Charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [8] 39
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [9] 28
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [10] 30
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [11] 24
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [12] 25
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [13] 19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [14] 8
UK Albums (OCC) [15] 12
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [16] 2
US Billboard 200 [17] 71
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [18] 16

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References

  1. ↑ "Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2 (The New Reality) - Guru | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  2. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. Muze. p. 600. ISBN   978-0-19-531373-4.
  3. ↑ Cuda, Heidi Siegmund (September 16, 1995). "Album Reviews : In Brief : * Guru, "Jazzmatazz, Volume 2: The New Reality," Chrysalis/ EMI". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  4. ↑ Ashon, Will (July 1995). "Guru: Jazzmatazz Volume Two: The New Reality Chrysalis" (PDF). Muzik . No. 2. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022.
  5. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 322. ISBN   978-0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ↑ Bell, Michelle (September 1995). "Record Report: Guru – Jazzmatazz II". The Source . No. 72. New York. p. 98. Archived from the original on January 25, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  7. ↑ Hunter, James (September 1995). "Spins Records". SPIN . Vol. 11, no. 6. SPIN Media LLC. p. 112. ISSN   0886-3032 . Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Charts.nz – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Guru – Jazzmatazz Vol. II - The New Reality". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Guru Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Guru Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
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