It is a testament to the genre's fortitude that Jazz has outlived the many faddish music trends emerging in the 103 years after its inception. Some bordering on the farcical (euro cheese, "world music"), most over-credited (grunge, smooth "jazz" and retro-swing) and none possessing the ingenuity of Jazz to update and reinvent itself. The soul of jazz is its uncanny ability to weave itself in and out of other genres while retaining its essence, whatever this may be at the time since it evolves even within itself (consider the myriad variants which have surfaced - refer to http://www.apassion4jazz.net/timeline.html)

Yet, it is precisely this vision to redefine and reconceptualise jazz which has been its most vicious enemy in recent years; as various charlatans (especially the Buddha Bar series and later part of Café Del Mar) scrambled to "reinvent" jazz into a sham called "nu-jazz" - think passé chill-out beats, generic rapping, hammy vintage jazz samples and hackneyed funk guitars. In light of this, we scrutinize the efforts of 2 soothsayers of sound who are on the "nu-jazz" bandwagon, unwittingly or otherwise. Before we proceed we have to remember that the venerable old dame herself begs definition. One must be aware that Jazz is greater than the sum of its musicians (Jazz is not simply anything by Miles Davis and not everything by Miles Davis is jazz) and it is itself a conflation of diverse music genres from European Classical music to African Tribal Rhythms to Latin styles to even Indian influences. (For the informationally-challenged, refer to http://www.outsideshore.com/cadenza/history.htm)

Many opportunists capitalized on the malleableness of the genre to try to spark trends or simply sell more records by exploiting the suddenly hip label "nu-jazz". Record companies encouraged by fawning listeners' penchant for anything "nu", used the genre's respectability and "cool" factor to label styles of music which had little to do with the innovation and spirit of jazz. The pretenders include "smooth jazz", "bossa jazz", "world-jazz", "electronica-jazz" and of course nu-jazz, all of which provide different stenches from the same rotting carcass. While I might be whitewashing the genuine appeal of some of the records unfortunate enough to come under these labels, recent memory has witnessed too many brutalisations against the Genre under these facades. Think bands or outfits like "Nice", "Spinal Tap", "Soul Machine" and "Shakatak". The mutilation of jazz continues to this day and will go on for as long as there is a profit motive underpinned by undiscerning audiences. For the record, acid jazz is little of acid music or jazz but more the lovechild of funk, soul, RnB, reggae and perhaps a sprinkling of jazz samples. (Go ask Mr. Giles Peterson yourself)

It was thus with fear and trembling that I listened to 2 records described variously by their record labels as techno-jazz, jazz-house or electronica-jazz. The Defendants are Mr. Scruff and St. Germain, on the charges of s300 of the Musical Penal Code of murder in the 1st degree of our beloved Jazz Music and fraudulently hawking an imitator, "nu-jazz" as jazz itself.

Mr. Scruff, Trouser Jazz - 3 Stars/5
Ninja Tunes Records
First on the dock is Mr. Scruff's Trouser Jazz.
We know some things to be true, that Mr. Scruff is a one man outfit consisting of one Andy Carthy. Mr. Carthy is hereby accused of noodling and mating 2 parts funk, 1 part Dixieland, pinch of saxophone, generous dollop of down-tempo beat and maybe a slice of break-beat, all into bovine fecal matter. The verdict?

Trouser Jazz first tantalizes with its playfulness and irresistibly funk grooves but it suffers from an identity crisis which may charm initially but slowly degenerate to one schlocky sample too many. The splicing of a bouncy Wartime swing clip, cuts from children's TV shows and samples of scats balloon degenerate into a sloppy cocktail as one is shoved from one mood to another with the politeness of a Drill Sergeant. In a most heinous act of musical negligence, he is at his most reckless with the track "Ahoy There", an embarrassing muddling of tacky seaside sounds with inane kid's program rambling. "Giffin" suffers from a severe case of motivation deficiency, an aimless break-beat interspersed with standard issue keyboard twiddling.

In mitigation, Trouser Jazz is not without Mr. Scruff's trademark ability to weave disparate elements of jazz and raucous riddims into a silky soundscape. (Try his earlier efforts on EP and LP, for a more fair representation). It seems that Scruff's strongest suit is his eclecticism, okay, weirdness. With titles such as "valley of the sausages" and "ug" (best track for its phat funk and slim beat), he sure is kooky. "Beyond" is an eccentric little number that sets up a loopy story about some friendly aliens, set to the purl of some of the most seductive basslines. "Come on Grandad" sees a scorching series of scats that wouldn't be out of place on your local dancefloor.

Trouser Jazz is found guilty of heresy against the sacred name of jazz but on appeal, the original sentence of obscurity is commuted to hard-time with hardcore newbies and neophytes of jazz and dance. One suspects that he would have had the music court's sympathy if he had just stuck to making the big beat and trip hop for which he was exemplary.

St. Germain, Tourist (59:54) - 4 Stars/5
Blue Note Records
The joint defendant St Germain, a.k.a. Ludovic Navarre, French House DJ extraordinaire, is accused of trying so hard to please jazz and techno fans that he has alienated them. In particular, it is averred that in forcing flutes, electronic pianos, blues guitar and bossa guitar with house beats and samples, he has violated the sanctity of musical justice.

The facts - Ludovic is more orchestra conductor (even describes himself as conductor in Liner notes) than maniacal DJ as behind the machinery and machinations, he aims for a more organic and "jazzy" feel to his latest offering "Tourist". Among the collaborators on this record are the stupendous Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin, a saxophonist, a trumpeter, a flutist and latin percussionist. The man has been credited with pioneering this offshoot of French House in the early 90's, even influencing other folks like flavour du jour Air and up-and-coming duo Grand Tourism.

Pleadings - What is most persuasive about his case is that each of his tracks has a distinct mood to them and yet one surmises a coherent theme and message to the whole album. The album has a call to arms of sorts - to dispel notions of Jazz Fascism and embrace its soothing soul. The set kicks off with "Rose Rouge", familiar for the Nokia ad set to it. Featuring a chant which demands your attention with its repetition and pumping piano motif. Ludovic then segues into Rasta agenda with "Montego Bay Spleen", a mellow acid jazzish number fattened with a dirty bassline in true Jamaican style. The highlight of his concoction is "So Flute" with its energetic and catchy flute riff and ensuing house groove catching you off-guard. All the time, one is hypnotized by images of smooth, dangerous chocolate gliding down your throat, trickle by trickle into an orgasmic finale.

Call it what you may, nu jazz, deep house, electro-soul, the man represents hope for Jazz in the new millennium, assuring and coaxing it into its new podium where it may flatter the bratty electronica genre. For more of his spell-binding blend of slinky soul and brash beats, try his earlier effort, Boulevard. The accused is absolved of all the charges and the case dismissed with costs. We recommend that music legislation be amended to pronounce our pleasure and that lounge louts and dance-floor delinquents alike embrace him.

Recommended Listening for Nu-Soul, Nu-Funk and all that Jazz
1. Rinocerose or Grand Tourism
2. Soulive
3. Charlie Hunter Quartet or Ernest Ranglin (guitarists)
4. Outkast
5. Jamiroquai
6. Masters At Work
7. Zero7
8. Sweetback
9. Les Nubians
10. Jill Scott or Maxwell
11. Massive Attack (Trip hop or not)
12. David Holmes
13. Lewis Taylor
14. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
15. Groove Armada

Did I leave out any? Sent your comments to jazzmatazzie@hotmail.com