DJ Jazzy Jeff - The MagnificentAlbum FactsOriginal Release Date: August 13, 2002 Singles For Da Love of Da Game Tracklisting
DJ Jazzy Jeff's first solo album featured a variety of artists from A Touch of Jazz with music ranging from jazz, hip-hop, RnB to House, and of course featuring Jeff's trademark scratches. Album ReviewsProducer-driven albums can go both ways in
terms of overall quality but they almost always have good
beats. "The Magnificent" is not only a diverse album
featuring underground hip hop along with house music, R&B
and spoken word poetry, but it is his way to step out of the
shadow of Will Smith. Will Smith is nowhere to be found on
"The Magnificent" and to me, that's a plus. Jeff's
production company A Touch Of Jazz produces the whole album.
As every track is produced very well, the guest vocalists
not only add diversity to themes and styles but affect the
variety of quality. Since it is a Jazzy Jeff record, do not expect topics of gun-toting, weed smoking, or jewelry. The title track featuring Pauly Yamz & Baby Blak is an ode to the DJ. Using the same melodic loop from "Butta" by A Tribe Called Quest. The track is basically a theme song for Jeff. Of course, the turntable wizardry is impeccable! Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak have 2 more songs together. The first single "For The Love Of The Game" is a very radio-friendly feel-good track with a sung hook that has some dope scratching in the background. It's basically a song about the love for hip hop that uses a very cool jazzy guitar sample. It's one of the strongest cuts with the unknown emcees besides the title track. Other themes include black pride, the love of music, romance, Philadelphia, and stress. The underground emcees make up a large part of the album. "Shake It Off" featuring Chef is a somewhat silly but very catchy tune. The two romantic tracks use music to inspire and delight. "Rock With You" featuring Eric Robertson and "Love Savior" featuring Flo Brown and Rahiem are decent tracks that have strong romantic themes. "Know Your Hood" featuring Pauly Yamz & Chef uses a cool piano sample and paints a vivid picture of ghetto lifestyles. The rhymes are hardcore and so is the half-sung/half-chanted hook. "Musik Lounge" featuring Odyssey is a nice, mellow track about the power of music and relaxation. It creates a very chilled out atmosphere. J-Live is the shining star emcee on the LP. "A Charmed Life" is also on J-Live's album "All Of The Above." It's an excellent auto-biographical track which has upright bass lines, jazzy symbol rhythms and nice jazzy vibed melodies. The true gem is "Break It Down." J-Live is incredible on this track. Every verse demands your attention as his energy and delivery is superb. The up-tempo beat bounces along with a wise and somewhat cartoon-like melody as Jeff adds some incredible scratching. It truly is the best track on the LP. Other more not-so-well-known (but well respected) emcees stand out the most on the album. Freddie Foxx gives a hungry performance on "Scram," and The Last Emperor gives his usually great performance on "Mystery Man." The R&B aspects drag the album down. "My People" featuring Raheim is an interesting listen since it deals with the power and strength that black people have endured generation after generation. Other songs like "We Are" featuring Cy Young and Raheim are filler tracks. Even though they're produced well, they do not command the attention like the other tracks. There are a couple of odd but cool standout tracks that add to the albums diversity. "We Live In Philly" featuring Jill Scott is a remake of Roy Ayers' "We Live In Brooklyn." Here, Jill Scott does a spoken word (somewhat freestyled) dream sequence of famous and not-so famous Philadelphia trademarks. Places and people are dropped into the mix. Julius Irving, Miss Jackie, Steady B, Patty LaBelle, Schooly D, and Allen Iverson are only a few of the many names mentioned. How can you not like a song where Joe Frazier pops out of a closet and kicks Rocky's ass? The beat has cool handclaps in the rhythm along with funked out orchestra-melodies and organs. If you are only familiar with Jill Scott's singing, you may not even recognize her. It is an enjoyable song for people who have lived in or visited Philadelphia. "In Time" featuring V is a very inspirational and uplifting deep house track. Here is where the singing truly works. The singing and the music is very uplifting and so are the sentiments of the song. Overall, DJ Jazzy Jeff's album is a fun summertime album. The production rules the LP. Every single song is produced with intensity and a love for music. The rhythms are diverse and complicated. While most tracks have that "Jazzy feel," the beats are hard enough to please hardcore hip hop lovers but they are not rough. There is a glossy feel to the beats which give this album a more commercial vibe. The underground emcees do bring a lyrical credibility to the album in many ways. There is not one bad beat on the album, Jeff's performances on the turntables are incredible too. He is not only a great producer but a turntable wizard. Unfortunately, an album is not just production, scratching and beats. While the diversity gives the LP a smooth flow, the abundant amount of singing drags it down in some parts. Even though the singing is supposed to give a balance to the hardcore emcees, it does not work on some songs. One thing I love about this album is the love and appreciation for the hip-hop DJ. If you like light but intelligent hip hop with jazz-influences and some genre-exploring songs, this is for you. As DJ Jazzy Jeff said, "This is for people who love good music." - NewJeruPoet The Magnificent is the long awaited debut solo album from legendary turntablist DJ Jazzy Jeff. Following the outstanding single ‘For Da Love Of Da Game’ released last month ‘The Magnificent’ album is bound to cause a sensation. Featuring: Jill Scott, Shawn Stockman, Freddie Foxxx, Baby Blak, Pauly Yamz, Erro, J-Live, Flo Brown, Chef Word, Oddisee, Cy Young, Crushall, Soul 1, The Last Emperor, Raheem, V, and ?uestlove "Best volume yet in the Beat Generation series so far…****" - Vibe "The trademark ATOJ sound is there, but instead of just being applied to R&B, it is also top-notch underground Hip Hop" - The Source "The fresh King is back" - Blues
and Soul Playlouder 3 and a half stars Before No Limit, before Death Row, before Rap-A-Lot there came Schoolly D, Roxanne Shante, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince making Philadelphia the first scene outside New York to gain a national US audience. Schoolly was the proto-gangsta, Will Smith, hip-hop's first suburban icon and Jazzy Jeff the improbably gifted DJ who quietly became one of hip-hop's biggest-ever earners. 'The Magnificent' largely sidelines Jeff's considerable turntablist skills preferring to showcase the talents of his A Touch Of Jazz production company. The influence of Philly soul seeps into 'Rock Wit U' and 'How I Do' and while Will Smith don't gotta cuss in his raps you try telling Freddie Foxxx to tone it down - he'll straight rag on your sorry ass like he does with the phoney gangstas on 'Scram'. And if you're a sucker for acoustic bass and the swish of the drum brush you'll totally dig the jazz motif on 'A Charmed Life' featuring J-Live eccentrically claiming "I learned patience from making models in the basement". That's knowledge, dog. Jill Scott eases into spoken-word territory taking Roy Ayers' 'We Live In Brooklyn' and relocating it in downtown Philly where she has Joe Frazier kicking Rocky's ass. It's that kind of kooky, offbeat vibe that prevails. This is the scratch king's redefinition of summer madness. James Donaghy all music.com 4 stars out of five It's easy to consider DJ Jazzy Jeff
an old-school head, by simple virtue of his not being very
active in the rap mainstream during the past ten years —
unlike the former Fresh Prince. Granted his first solo shot
by BBE (the British beat ambassadors responsible for great
hip-hop mixes by Pete Rock and Kenny Dope, among others),
Jeff keeps it hometown, inviting a wealth of Philly names,
including Shawn Stockman (from Boyz II Men), Jill Scott, and,
for four tracks, Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak. And just like some
of his classic hits with Will Smith, The Magnificent comes
very correct, with beatbox breaks; jazzy guitar and keys;
lots of vocal harmonies on the choruses; and the sub-frequency,
almost percussive bass lines often heard on later A Tribe
Called Quest LPs. For the most part, Jeff keeps to the background
— every track here has a featured vocalist — though
Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak sing his praises on the title-track
opener, and J-Live gives him plenty of room for scratching
on the spectacular "Break It Down." It's hard to
say how long DJ Jazzy Jeff took making these tracks, though
The Magnificent has an incredible range; Jeff does it all
well, even when moving from soulful R&B ("Rock Wit
U" with Eric Roberson) to basement hip-hop on the very
next track ("Scram" with Freddie Foxxx). Those who
can make it to the end — admittedly, 17 tracks are a
lot to deal with — get treated to a fun Roy Ayers redo,
"We Live in Philly," with Jill Scott playfully stretching
out on a dream-time vocal performance that references plenty
of Philadelphia landmarks, along with a range of Philly celebrities:
Dr. J, Pooh Richardson, Maurice Cheeks, Schooly D., Frankie
Beverly, and Patti LaBelle among others. — John Bush The Fader EW
Freddie Foxxx). Those who can make it to the end — admittedly, 17 tracks are a lot to deal with — get treated to a fun Roy Ayers redo, "We Live in Philly," with Jill Scott playfully stretching out on a dream-time vocal performance that references plenty of Philadelphia landmarks, along with a range of Philly celebrities: Dr. J, Pooh Richardson, Maurice Cheeks, Schooly D., Frankie Beverly, and Patti LaBelle among others. — John Bush
DJ Jazzy Jeff "The Magnificent"
- BBE / Beat Generation @@@@ By now most of you would have been aware
of The Beat Generation Series, with already released albums
by producers such as Pete Rock (Petestrumentals), Jay Dee
(Welcome 2 Detroit), Marley Marl (Re-Entry), Will.I.Am (Lost
Change) and others. Up next, DJ Jazzy Jeff, the Philly-bred
turntablist and producer that the world has grown to more
associate with Will "The Fresh Prince" Smith from
back in the day. Seldom ever seen, Jazzy Jeff and his production
team, A Touch of Jazz handle this LP with their vibrant Philly-Soul
throughout. The amalgamation of mostly hip hop, touches of
R&B, spoken-word poetry and even a deep house track, "In
Time" featuring V at the album's closing, unquestionably
all make this an urban masterpiece. America's present hotbed
of urban finesse is Philadelphia if you hadn't witnessed,
and as Jazzy Jeff ropes in Jill Scott, ?uestlove, The Last
Emperor, Shawn Stockman (from Boyz II Men), J-Live, Freddie
Foxx and a host of really talented locals from his camp, the
evidence from this homegrown LP is of pure excellence. As for spit-kicking lyrical emcees,
it's J-Live's two tracks, " Break It Down" over
the deadliest hip hop underground production here that takes
you on a journey beyond the shine or floss of typical rap
rotation. On his undeniably soothing next track, " A
Charmed Life", we see this LP standing up to test anymore
crazy enough to step into this ring. It's a shame that two
excellent cuts as this only stand a chance of being heard,
providing you are aware of this album. What's up with radio
these days? Even when one wants to take a break from the head-nodding
power of other quite danceable party starters such as "
Musik Lounge" featuring Odyssey and "Rock with U"
featuring Eric Roberson, there's still more to offer you relaxation.
Chill out to the imaginative and pictorial memorabilia of
Philadelphia's black history that is painted through the spoken-word
poetry of Jill Scott on " We Live In Philly", and
allow yourself to be drawn into a city that has always been
rich in black culture. - Marlon Regis Pulse While Will Smith has gone on to Hollywood, his old partner in scratch DJ Jazzy Jeff has left the acting alone (save a couple of Fresh Prince episodes) and quietly gone about business. He started up A Touch of Jazz production company and scored a huge hit album for Jill Scott. Jeff comes back to the forefront with a mix CD, The Magnificent, that is the highlight of BBE's "Beat Generation" series. It's everything you love about Jazzy's production--silky beats, deft scratches and moody keys--narrated by some of hip-hop's best up-and-coming talents. Guests include Jill Scott, Odyssey, Freddie Fox, Raheem, Flo Brown, the Last Emperor, Baby Blak and Pauly Yamz. His collaborations with rapper J-Live on "Break It Down" and "A Charmed Life" are excellent examples of hip-hop's planets and stars aligning. The dynamic duo form a powerful backcourt. The only negative about The Magnificent is there's no "Jazzy Jeff on the Wheels of Steel" scratch track; it'd be nice to hear how his trademark transformer scratch has aged over the years. Hopefully, Will Smith will get off this Willennium trip and get back with Jeff and conquer the world, just as they did back in the mid-'80s. If not, cross your fingers for J-Live to fill in on a permanent basis. By Todd Inoue synthesis.net Most people remember DJ Jazzy Jeff as one
half of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and
while The Fresh Prince went on to become better known as alien-slayer
Will Smith, "Jazzy" Jeff Townes stuck with producing
music. His name started to surface in the mainstream again
last year as the producer behind Philadelphia vocal sensation
Jill Scott, whose soulful lyrical delivery benefited from
the amazing, vibrantly soulful and solid music that Townes
crafted for her. So it stands to reason that The Magnificent,
while not a surprise, sure as hell is pleasant. Jeffrey all Townes , better admits under its alias DJ Jazzy Jeff , steps finally, nine years after the last LP "code talks", with its partner wants to Smith aka The Fresh Prince from the shade to the daylight. Not the fact that it would have been dormant or would have hidden itself. Jeff is not a center human being, as wants one is. The DJ and producer rather pulls in the background the threads and already created 1990 its own production company "A Touch OF jazz". After some productions, among other things for Jill Scott , was it now at the time to step times again separately into the footlights. The framework, which it selected itself, fits thereby very well: Its first solo album "The Magnificent" appears in the context of the Beat generation series of BBE, in that already producer sizes such as Pete skirt , wants I.AM , Jay DTE among other things. shone. covers 17 TRACKS the work, which have all one together: the Smoothness of their producer. No matter whether hard RAP or singing, productions of Jazzy Jeff proves as very harmonious, usually reduced and never arduously - completely so, like the Erschaffer. He found his own style long and tried on the album not forceful to prove something or not fulfill categories, because it offers the market perhaps straight in such a way. Thus no Potpourri at different styles developed here, but a harmonious, well working album, without large of star. Jazzy Jeff got itself not, like it some its colleagues to do to tend, the MCs most announced at present in the studio, but geschart partly stood, partly still relatively unknown artists around itself, who are momentarily not so strong in the focus. Thus one could hear Love OF there there on preceded the EP Pauly Yamz & baby Blak on the outstanding piece of "For Game", one of the highlights of the album. Pauly Jamz is not more frequently represented, e.g. on "The Magnificent", "Know Your Hood" or "Worldwide", it convinced however by any means always. There the flow is, but do not come much to say except empty phrases, which one is already sufficient to knows, unfortunately more rueber. My opinion after too few to be the frequently on the album represented. Freddie Fox points to "Scram" that it is not still more despising a MC, that its style will remain always faithful - ruff & raw, also to a Jazzy Jeff instrument valley. Also another hopeful MC, which had so far much pitch with its Labeldeals, " The load Emperor ", is to be heard on a TRACK. Rather suitably here the title, "Mystery is one". I hope that he will soon create the break-through, it it would always have earned. That j-Live can co-operate successfully with Jeff, one already heard on its last album. "A Charmed Life", so the title, is again represented also on "The Magnificent". In addition, the outstanding new Song "BREAK It down" shows the fact that chemistry between the two is correct - who was still times wants Smith? Somewhat drop does the album with most R&B numbers. They are likewise well through-produced - the straight instrument valley of "How I DO" is rather good -, but Shawn Stockman of Boys II Men, Eric Robertson , Raheim or "V" cannot really convince me. But but Jill Scott gives a successful sample of its Spoken Word of talent on "incoming goods Live in Philly". Otherwise I would have promised myself a little more, what concerns the R&B part on the disk. Thus my result precipitates as follows: Productions of Jazzy Jeff please me continuous well to very actually well; it is also in principle a good idea to offer and them place give to less well-known artists a forum to prove itself. Unfortunately however in it exactly also the weakness of the album lies. Only some of them knows to convince really. One is however clear: DJ Jazzy Jeff is, with or without the fresh prince, still "The Magnificent" - today enriched with a "Touch OF jazz"! Basti Dj Jazzy Jeff Ever wonder what happened to Will Smith’s former partner Dj Jazzy Jeff? You know, his flat top sidekick Uncle Phil would always throw out the front door on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air? Yea, I was disappointed as well that there wasn’t a spinoff starring Jeff, but he decided not to stay in the limelight of Hollywood, and instead return to the underground of his hometown of Philadelphia, and get back to what he does best: music. In the past few years, Jazzy Jeff has been making his presence felt in the hip hop/ soul music scene of Philadelphia, by staying behind the scenes. He opened his own studios named “a touch of jazz” studios, where he has produced tracks for and worked with such up-and-coming philly artists as Musiq, Bilal, Glenn Lewis, Jill Scott and Jaguar Wright. But beyond producing tracks in his studio, he has continued to remind people that the letters “D” and “J” still belong at the front of his name, by strutting his stuff at weekly DJ sessions in local philly clubs. Somewhere along the way, Jeff was approached by the London-based record label BBE to do the fifth album of their “Beat Generation” series, which in the past has included albums by legendary hip hop producers Pete Rock, Jay Dee, and Will.i.am of the hip hop group Black Eyed Peas. The Magnificent is that fifth album, and Jeff is very greatful for the opportunity BBE gave to him. “Making this record waz a breath of fresh air 4 me… being able to make a record with no limitation but your creativity iz very rare n the major music industry 2day… is all about business so we loose a lot of the true artists we have,” Jeff says on the experience. The liberation Jeff was given on the album, and his creativity certainly show throughout the album. Like he said himself, maybe if more of today’s top artists weren’t worried about a hit single or the business aspect of music, more albums would be like The Magnificent, in the sense that creativity is the only limit. After listening to The Magnificent, Jeff’s limit of creativity seems endless. It’s obvious he set out to make an album to represent philly, and it’s fusion of sounds. The Magnificent is a hip hop album, but along with the hiphop comes the rest of the Philadelphia experience: the soul-crooner hooks and the touch of jazz. One of these “fusion” songs, is “How I Do” a collaboration between Jeff and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. The constant hiphop beat is in the background, but layered on top of that is jazz-styled bass and piano. All of this music serves as a great backing to Stockman’s wavering voice on the chorus, and new-comer MC Cy Young’s rap verses. The use of new-coming mcs, such as Cy Young, is another element that makes The Magnificent a great album. Rather than calling up all of his high-profile celebrity friends, Jeff decided to keep this album a philly affair (for the most part). Appearing on five of the eighteen tracks are underground MCs Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak. Both sound hungry and ready to break out for the rest of the world to hear them. Another new name that appears on much of the album is Raheem. He provides most of the afore mentioned “soul crooning” on the hooks, and sounds much like the other male philly soul singers like Musiq and Bilal. One of Jeff’s other talents, aside from finding fresh, new talent, is his amazing DJ skills. Unfortunately, he doesn’t show them off nearly as much as his anticipating fans wished he would, but they do have one track where Jeff goes all out. On the track “Break it Down,” a straight-forward rap song featuring rapper J-Live, Jeff provides the cuts behind J, and throws in an extra bonus at the end. He recruited such legendary DJs as Qbert, Babu, Spinbad, and Xcel, and each take a turn showing off their skills, making a great collaborative ending that any aspiring DJ, or hiphop fan can marvel at. The Magnificent is an overall solid album. Jazzy Jeff took the opportunity to freely use his creativity to the max, and made a great blend of an album, and a great representation of what Philly is today. The fusion of hiphop, rnb, soul, and jazz soaks through this record like a philly cheesesteak through a paper plate. Will Smith’s one time cohort is only at the beginning of a great solo career. -dro http://www.ukhh.com/reviews/nonuk/1069.html I really wanted this to be good, I really wanted to like this but I just couldn’t. Remember back in the day? Remember DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince in Union Square? Well forget it all. It seems that guy has gone, just as the Fresh Prince has, or should I say Will Smith. Is no one safe these days from the commercial machine? Jazzy Jeff’s cuts are box standard and nowhere near enough. You would also think that Jeff would have all manners of names all over the LP, but no, you get a bit of J-Live, Last Emperor and Freddie Foxxx, after that its mostly unheard of Emcees or, god forbid, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men, I know, shocking isn’t it! Break It Down featuring J-Live is the only real good track on there with some good cuts, but nothing that your average bedroom DeeJay in the UK couldn’t do. I suppose if I was forced to chose another track I would say Mystery Man featuring The Last Emperor is a good enough track, but in no way makes the LP worth the money. As a conclusion, when I first got my hands on this to review it I was really looking forward to checking it out. As a fan of Jeff back in the day there was no way this wasn’t going to be good, oh how wrong can I be. J-Live saves this LP on both A Charmed Life and Break It Down, I would hate to think of The Magnificent without J-Live on it as it doesn’t bear thinking about. If I were a big fat rich lawyer I would grab Jazzy Jeff by the scruff of his collar and kick the guy out of my house, and no wonder. The Magnificent? I am sad to say, but I think not. I try to remember people at their best, that way you have better memories, I am going to therefore forget I ever heard this. Pity really. Jazzy Jeff - The Magnificent (Motown / Universal) As a DJ myself, what can I say about such a legend? Well, I recently had the opportunity to see him spin live, up close & personal and believe me…..He is Magnificent! Believe the hype. Couple his skills on the tables with his DJ ear for music, put him behind the boards and add a supporting cast of hungry hometown Philly cats & what you’ll have is the latest installment of BBE Record’s Beat Generation series. DJ Jazzy Jeff - The Magnificent. From start to finish, this album is pure ear candy. Hip hop, R&B, Neo-soul, and even a house track. Every last joint is hot, but the ones that stood out for me most are the lead single “For Da Love of Da Game” featuring the rhyme stylings of Baby Blak & Pauly Yamz, “How I Do” featuring Shawn Stockman & Sy Young, Break It Down” featuring J-Live over an ill Brady Bunch sample, and the list goes on. Gotta mention “Rock Wit U” featuring Erro which is a sweeeeet R&B track. There really isn’t too much I can say about this album except, GO GET IT!!! It’s just hot in every sense of the word. Lyrics - 3.5 BET Talkin' All That Jazz DJ Jazzy Jeff The Magnificent BBE Don't snicker. You may be used to gigging on DJ Jazzy Jeff as the ne'er-do-well character Jazz on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," or deriding his hip-pop efforts with Will Smith in the late 1980s/early '90s, but don't sleep. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were one of the very first multiplatinum rap groups. And more important than that, Jeff himself revolutionized deejaying. Turntablists the world over owe a debt to Jeff (as well as his Philadelphia brethren, DJ Cash Money) for popularizing the "transforming" scratch style invented by DJ Spinbad back in the day. And where there's talent, there's room for reinvention. Enter A Touch of Jazz, founded by "Jazzy Jeff" Townes in the wake of Will Smith's Oscar-bound exodus to Hollywood years back. ATOJ was responsible for the bulk of production on Jill Scott's debut (though Jeff himself contributed only one interlude, "Exclusively"). Now, fresh for 2002, Jeff drops an "I'm the DJ, they're the rappers" compilation entitled The Magnificent, and it's not half bad. Coming from a group who made their biggest hit from the "I Dream of Jeannie" theme (lest you forget), Jeff opts for a familiar trick, recycling some interlude music from "The Brady Bunch" on the album highlight, "Break It Down." J-Live blesses the track with holy-roller fervor: "I'm the man of the hour 24 times a day/The man of the day 365 out the year/That bulls*** you say, Live is not tryin' to hear." The Magnificent's most accomplished MC this side of J-Live is Freddie Foxxx, appearing on "Scram." Unfortunately, the sing-songy hook runs counter to his hardcore flow, weighing the song way down. Jeff's tracks aren't hip-pop, but they're often too smooved out for their own good: Lionel Hampton-like vibes run through "A Charmed Life"; the chorus to "Musik Lounge" is thickly multitracked ("Muzak Lounge," anyone?). Local Philly talent like Pauly Yamz & Baby Blak and singer Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men warm up Jeff's tracks, but fail to bring things to a boil. The second summit of the record - Jill Scott's sexy, near Valley Girl-accented monologue on "We Live in Philly" - saves the day, and The Magnificent concludes with the uptempo house-music (!) groove of "In Time." It could have been better, it could have been worse, but at least DJ Jazzy Jeff won't be bothering his gone-Hollywood homeboy for a reunion record anytime soon
All scores given by critics have been converted to a 10-point scale. When a critic does not provide a score in his/her review, we have assigned one based on the general impression given by the review.
Jazzy Jeff's first solo album, The Magnificent,
is the fifth installment in London-based BBE Recordings' Beat
Generation series -- a producer-driven project that honors
some of hip-hop's most superb beat catalysts. A Chex-mix of
jazz, soul, and funk, the album honors one of Philadelphia's
best-known DJs with a seasoning of native Philly MCs (Flo
Brown, Pauly Yamz, Baby Blak, Last Emperor) and vocalists
(Raheim and Jill Scott). The album's only missteps are "How I Do" and "Rock Wit U," where the benign songwriting and vocal techniques of Shawn Stockman and Eric Robinson make them sound like disposable, microwave-able R&B fodder. Critics will find that Jeff's skills as DJ and producer are subdued in place of showcasing his partners at the Touch of Jazz production firm. Still this solo excursion is a future classic and one of the best of the Beat Generation series so far. Hamida Kinge DJ Jazzy Jeff - The Magnificent (BBE/Creative Vibes) rating: 4 (jazzy/hiphop/soul) Since going their separate ways in the mid-nineties, the careers of Jazzy Jeff and his long time partner The Fresh Prince Will Smith could not have been more divergent. While Smith became a Hollywood rap star releasing album after album of sonic turds, Jazzy Jeff Townes went underground, back to his native Philadelphia and established his A Touch Of Jazz studio and label, working with credible artists such as Jill Scott and Masters At Work, getting in on the ground floor of the nascent neo-soul scene centered around Philly. Townes now gets the chance to showcase his current sound from London label BBE through their acclaimed Beat Generation series and he doesn’t disappoint, cramming many of the rich cultural influences of his city including soul, jazz, hip-hop, poetry and even house into a superb collection of well-crafted tracks. Living up to his name, jazz is the overriding
influence throughout most of the hip-hop tracks here, the
very antithesis of the pop fluff and thuggish melodramatics
found further north in New York. Jeff provides lots of room
for up and coming Philly rhymesters such as Baby Blak and
Pauly Yamz to shine on smooth, classy, highly instrumental
tracks although it is the more established MC’s who
tend to steal the limelight. Rawkus wordsmith The Last Emperor
brings a grimy street-authority; the angriest man in hip-hop
Freddie Foxxx conjures up a hardcore moment that takes a leaf
out of Pharoahe Monchs’ book of catchy hooks; Cy Young
marks himself as definitely one to watch while J-Live cements
his place as one of the best around with the complexly rocking
Break It Down and the superb, autobiographical A Charmed Life. DARREN COLLINS Posted on Sun, Aug. 25, 2002 Review | The master of the scratch
Once a defining sound of hip-hop, DJ scratching has lately become just another sonic bauble, an obligatory presence so bland it barely cuts through the lavish and often overloaded mixes. DJ Jazzy Jeff's imaginative, stylistically diverse The Magnificent (Rapster/BBE ***1/2) argues that though the DJ is often in the background, there's still an art to the scratch. And, more significant, its 17 tracks prove that despite hip-hop's current commercial bent, there's still room for innovations - small refinements and flying leaps, outbreaks in which the raps are eclipsed by crazy hiccuping turntable moves. Right from the opening track, it's clear this isn't your typical pyrotechnic watch-me-DJ display: Jeff Townes lurks as rappers Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak roll through his biography, interjecting playful, quipping asides over a Weather Report sample. The turntables move in after the second verse, as Jeff sets up a stereo call-and-response exchange that begins in the left channel and finishes in the right. His phrases dart between vinyl-scraping squiggles and dramatic syncopations that embody the spirit and technical agility of bebop improvisation. From there, The Magnificent touches on all kinds of music: There are tart old-school taunts ("Scram," featuring veteran MC Freddie Foxxx); slithering jazz-guitar grooves ("Shake It Off"); gorgeously harmonized neo-soul reveries ("Rock Wit U," featuring Touch of Jazz producer Eric Roberson); and moments of stylistic fusion that defy categorization (the swinging, vibraphone-laced "A Charmed Life," a showcase for Brooklyn rapper J-Live). Rather than lowball the marketplace or simply
show off his wizardry, Jeff chose instead to dive into anexploration
of wild hip-hop possibilities. With his Touch of Jazz crew,
he created an environment where Best known as Will Smith’s sidekick
in DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and the Fresh Prince
of Bel Air TV series, hip-hop production force Jazzy Jeff
has been working on developing new artists through his production
company, A Touch of Jazz (Jill Scott, etc.), since day one.
On this installment of BBE’s Beat Generation series,
Jeff puts his own production skills on center stage. The Magnificent
displays the same jazz-inflected rhythms that infused Scott’s
debut. Featured are veteran MCs like J-Live, Freddie Foxxx
and vocalists such as Jill Scott and Shawn Stockman (Boyz
II Men). Raheim and Cy Young offer messages on “We Are”
and “My People.” J-Live lends underground cred
to “Break It Down” and “A Charmed Life.”
Magnificent may be overstating the case, but Jeff’s
production chops narrow the gap hybrid magazine I must admit, everytime I saw those old episodes of Fresh Prince where Jazzy Jeff made his little appearances, I wondered what we was up to nowadays. I wondered if he was jealous of Will’s fame, or went off to pursue something else. Perhaps I just wasn’t very well connected but I’m sure I’m not the only one out there that wondered the same. Well, everything was brought to light this month! BBE Records and Rapster are releasing the debut full-length “The Magnificent” from DJ Jazzy Jeff in August. Apparently, if you didn’t have a clue like I didn’t, Jeff stared A Touch of Jazz, which is a large musical production facility with a number of producers and have been more then busy writing TV theme songs, producing Will Smith’s solo albums, and working with artists like MC Lyte, Kenny Latimore, Michael Jackson, and um.....Darius Rucker of um....Hootie and the Blowfish. Yes, while I’m sure this sounds like a great biz venture, it does make you wonder what on earth this album is going to sound like. I don’t like Hootie, most TV themes, Willenium or whatever, and especially not Michael J’s new material!! Never fear, the album, it actually pretty damn good and reminds me of the golden 93’ era. The production isn’t ground-breaking but wicked regardless and my god, the guest line-up is simply amazing. Everyone from Jill Scott, ?uestlove, J-Live, Freddie Foxx, Raheim, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men, Pauly Yamz, Baby Blak, and plenty more. The finest element is Jazzy Jeff pulling together a lot of urban styles aside from hip-hop like soul, r’n’b, spoken word and deep house! Jazzy Jeff should of done this a long time ago but it does sound like he’s been a bit busy.
bookla Coming off his wildly successful EP, this
has been one of the most highly anticipated full-length releases
of the summer and it does not disappoint. Jeff pulls off the
trick of creating a very balanced album with a diverse group
of guest vocalists (ranging from J-Live to Jill Scott to Freddie
Foxx to one of the dudes from Boyz II Men) by creating the
track around each guest's style, but always keeping it close
to his "Touch Of Jazz" mode. Standout tracks include
"The Magnificent(1)" and "For Da Love Of Da
Game(2)" with Pauly Yamz & Baby Black, "Break
It Down(3)" and "Charmed Life(4)" with J-Live,
and "Musik Lounge(5)" with Odyssey. About half the
songs feature singers only, and while this may not be for
the hardknocks, they work well when you're in the mood . Could
be the best in the BBE Beat Generation series so far. 17 tracks
total. Popmatters All it takes is a good mixtape to put
you in the right mood. Amazon This solo joint from DJ Jazzy Jeff, which follows other "Beat Generation" albums by Jay Dee, Marley Marl, and Pete Rock, sees JJ come up with a textured album steeped in jazz, soul, and funk. Jeff has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the rap game after his time with Will "Fresh Prince" Smith--he started his own production company A Touch of Jazz a few years ago--and his expertise comes shining through in this slickly produced affair, all cavernous bass lines, tight, hypnotic beats, and gorgeously unhurried feel, with guests ranging from the fresh to the famous. Names like Jill Scott, Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman, J-Live, and ?uestlove from the Roots supply a rich selection of R&B croons and MC flows, and while there's not much for the headbangers here, anyone looking for something silky, soulful, and seductive will find The Magnificent a massive aphrodisiac. --Paul Sullivan Vibe
inthemix.com.au Say the name "DJ Jazzy Jeff" and the next thing that will come to many peoples mind is "and the Fresh Prince". The early nineties duo of producer Jeff and rapper the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) were a grammy winning, multi million selling outfit that set up the careers for two young guys from Philadelphia trying to make it big in the cut throat music business. Whilst Smith has found even more fame in his crossover to acting, Jeff has earned a reputation, through his production outfit A Touch of Jazz, as a producer everybody who's anybody wants to work with. And he's worked with some of the finest, with everyone from Tatyana Ali to Michael Jackson as well as production on most of Smith's solo work. After over a decade of working on everyone else's projects Jeff has finally decided to call in some of the favours and release his debut solo album. His guest vocalists for each track are from both his own "A Touch of Jazz" outfit as well as guests artists he has deemed appropriate and worthy to accompany his tunes. The album is expectedly a mainly hip hop and r'n'b affair, however there are moments of jazzy and deep house beats for those thinking it would be all too predictable. A laidback hip hop beat opens proceedings with the track The Magnificent and features on vocals Baby Blak and MC Pauly Yamz, both of whom are artists from A Touch of Jazz. Within the soft hip hop beats you can hear Jazzy Jeff scratching it up with precision and showing off some of his turntable skills. This is something Jeff continues throughout the album and is definitely a highlight in terms of listening pleasure. For Da Love Of Da Game and Worldwide, which feature the same vocalists, offer a similar style with both of these tracks offering the contrasting melodic vocals versus the rapping MC. Jeff captures the soulful voice of Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman in How Do I Do whilst creating a more P Diddy feel when collaborating with Freddie Foxx in Scram. It is the final three tracks which hold the most interest however and offer a little insight into other areas of Jazzy Jeff's musical leanings. A Charmed Life features the vocals of J-Live rapping over a jazzy beat and bass line. We Live in Philly introduces the female vocals of Jill Scott rapping over a funky bass line and beat whilst the final track, In Time, explores the world of deep house. This album is for fans of those who love their hip hop with a well produced r'n'b flavour. Or perhaps their r'n'b with cruisy hip hop beats. Either way if that sounds like you then this is an album by one of the most talented and respected producers on the scene. It probably won't be so readily accepted by those who prefer a more raw sound in their beats however in saying so Jeff offers more than a stock standard genre album and is well worth a listen.
Slant Magazine While Will Smith, the
former Fresh Prince, has flourished as a solo act for most
of the past decade, DJ Jazzy Jeff has kept himself behind
the scenes, playing a key role in the success of Smith's first
two solo albums and helping to foster the careers of fellow
Philly artists Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild. Jeff's new
album, The Magnificent (part of BBE's "The Beat Generation"
series), is a homegrown effort that joins the producer with
a flock of other Philly-bred artists including Shawn Stockman
of Boyz II Men and ?uestlove. The album's first single, "For
Da Love Of Da Game," and "Musik Lounge" pick
up where the cool vibe of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's
"Summertime" left off. Jeff's magnificent versatility
shines throughout the album; his signature scratches and jazzy
guitar licks adorn hip-hop tracks like "Break It Down"
as well as smooth R&B songs like "We Are," featuring
Raheim. At a lengthy 17 tracks, The Magnificent seems to trudge
along at times, perhaps burdened by sparse arrangements which
keep the vocals center stage almost too consistently. But
just when things get yawny, the monotony is broken by a trio
of expertly crafted tunes: J-Live waxes poetic on the personal
value of education on the jazz-infused "A Charmed Life";
Jill Scott whimsically relates a dream as it occurs on "We
Live In Philly," a reinterpretation of Roy Ayers' "We
Live In Brooklyn Baby" ("It was a o-a-sis of athletes!"
she squeals); and "In Time," where the Nuyorican
house beats of Masters At Work meet Jeff's Philly soul.
Whilst his work with Will Smith is
well known it's Jeff's recent success with his A Touch of
Jazz label that has served to remind the listening public
that there's a whole lot more to this dude than a pop-rap
partnership. In a list of the most influential and successful
hip hop deejays, Jeffrey Allen Townes aka Jazzy Jeff, ranks
right up there with the likes of DJ Premier, Eric B, Marley
Marl and Grandmaster Flash. The New School pioneer enjoys
continued fame, in particular thanks to the stir caused by
his production company, A Touch of Jazz (Michael Jackson,
Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild). The long awaited debut solo album from the
legendary turntablist and producer. Having worked behind the
scenes on a number of projects over the years, DJ Jazzy Jeff
is now stepping out of the shadows of his production company
(A Touch of Jazz) to bring you a ground breaking new album
reflecting the rich musical heritage of Philadelphia.
"Shake It Off" is a track featuring Chef who deleivers an up-tempo Hip-Hop joint about forgetting about stress and negative things. The production has these insane keyboards over a traditionally dope Hip-Hop beat. Jeff also scratches alot during the chanted hook and at the end. Next up is my favorite (which most of u have heard)..."FOR DA LOVE OF DA GAME." Philly emcees Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak spit lyrics that any emcee can relate 2. It's just about writing and rapping and not worrying about money and all the gimicks in rap music. Jazzy Jeff hits u with an incredibly summery, laid back track with a sampled R-N-B hook. Without a doubt one of the best Hip-Hop songs in YEARS. Sadly this promo has the edit which is only over 3 minutes compared 2 the full 5 minute version. Next up is "WORLDWIDE," another track featuring Baby Blak -n- Pauly Yamz. The beat is mid-tempoed and has a kinda raw street vibe. The r-n-b sung chorus is nice 2...just raw. The subject matter is kinda schetchy 2 me. It just has the 2 emcees talking about themselves. "HOW I DO" is a slightly raw, Hip-Hop influenced mid-up-tempo R-N-B joint. It features the smooth, silky-voiced Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. The song has Shawn singing 2 a female that he is just meeting. Good song. The track also has some nice sounds buried in the mix. "BREAK IT DOWN" starts off with a funny Brady Bunch sample that has Peter talking about his new tape recorded to Greg and Marsha but tells them not 2 hit play cuz he has stuff recorded on it. Then the music stops and the agree 2 listen 2 it. The the music starts back it. It's really funny. J-Live drops a verse, then DJ Jazzy Jeff gets busy on the wheels 4 a bit. J-Live's lyrics are nice and get kinda playful. The song finishes off with a Spin Bad, Exel, Sat One, DJ Revoluction and Q-Bert (and more DJs) scratching like crazy. U kinda wish the song waz at least 10 minutes long tho' so each DJ had more than a few seconds 2 represent. Next up is the laid-back, chilled "MUSIK LOUNGE." This is probably my 2nd favorite track. It has a summery, laid back vibe but it's not like "...Love of Da Game." The chorus has these great whistel samples under the chanted chorus. Odyssey has a nice crisp and comfortable flow that fits on the soulful groove perfectly. "ROCK WIT U" is a mad soulful R-N-B song but it's mid-tempoed. Be beat has sythesizers all over the place over a steady tempo u may expect on a Jill Scott album. The song is basically just about anticipating kicking back with someone special. "SCRAM" featuring Freddi Foxx is next up. Jeff starts scratching from the begininng of this gritty Hip-Hop joint. Freddie Foxx dose one of his finest performances over Jeff's beat. Bumpy Knuckles threatens all fake gangstas and thugs on this song. Raheim shows up on "MY PEOPLE." The production is soulful with a bit of funk. This R-N-B song has that soulful A Touch of Jazz tag all over it. Some really creative samples are entwined all in this beat. Raheim sings passionatly about black pride and the politics of race. His vocals are layered nicely in the background. "KNOW UR HOOD" may be my 3rd favorite track. It opens with a humorous conversation between Pauly Yams and Chef about "their friend" who just dosn't act right...ha ha. Jazzy Jeff plays the part of the guy they are talking about. Both emcees just talk about Jeff's character as being their friend but that he dosn't need 2 show up on on the street cuz his selfish, flossing ways are bound 2 find him some trouble. "LOVE SAVIOUR" features up-and-coming female emcee Flo Brown with Raheim handeling the hook. She raps about this guy she's fallen 4 in a reality-based way. Another mid-tempoed soulful Hip-Hop joint. Back 2 straight Hip-Hop on "MYSERY MAN." The Last Emperor" raps on this track which also has Jazzy Jeff scratching under the hook. "WE ARE" is nice Hip-Hop/R-N-B song featuring Cy Young and Raheim. Cy Young holds down the rap and Raheim handels the R-N-B chorus. Some of u have already heard "A CHARMED LIFE." This track features J-Live rapping over an incredibly jazzy, live instrument track featuing lots of cymbols and vibes. J-Live's verse are fast paced and could stand on their own over the music which seems 2 accompany his verse rather than him rapping over it. The piano is also a nice touch. "WE LIVE IN PHILLY" is the only track i expected more from. As a life-long Jazzy Jeff fan and a HUGE fan of Jill Scott, i waz expecting this song 2 be my favorite...but it isn't...ha ha. The beat is influence by "We Live In Brooklyn." I love Jill Scotts spoken word stuff but this is more of a monologe. She kinda just runs her mouth over the retro beat in this character voice that is quickly gets on my nerves. The lyrics sound as if she's just on the street talking 2 a friend and most of it's contents reflect on Philly and the people from there. Last is "IN TIME" featuring V. While the idea isn't unheard of, i personally did not expect it...this a dance track. Co-produced by Masters At Work. Since dance music's influence has not been felt on Hip-Hop or R-N-B albums other than in remixes, this is a very nice touch. The track isn't the pop kinda dance track tho'...more of an R-N-B/disco vibe. V's layered vocals during the chorus are also a nice touch.
-JumpinJack
AJ Newtimesla To most casual fans, the name Jazzy
Jeff conjures up images of Fresh Prince's bubblegum raps --
and it's true, Jeff Townes was the man behind both the turntables
and the beats on most of Fresh Prince's early work (save the
classic "Summertime," produced by Hula and Finger).
But Jazzy Jeff is far more than the guy who produced "I
Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson." BY DAFYDD MCKAHARAY Philly
Hip Hop THIS is the best song
out of Philadelphia this year. There, I said it. Strong words
for a strong song. Love Of The Game is a masterpiece. I don't
think I've ever referred to any cut as a masterpiece at PhillyHipHop.com
but in this case it's appropriate so I'm going for it.
Jazzy Jeff: The Magnificent Seven EP on BBE Records JJ comes clean after the fresh Prince. Finally indulging in
what he loves, some pure musical hip hop grooves with some
of his friends and lyrics that still ring true.
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