Masterpiece Jazzie B [Box set]

Jazzie B has been a part of the black music scene in the United Kingdom (UK) for very many years, and is respected for playing his part in promulgating the experiences of the Jamaican sound system to a far wider audience - something which he refers to in the notes accompanying this release as having been a conscious decision to be 'inclusive' and not 'exclusive'. He is also widely recognised as being the figurative head of 'Soul II Soul', over seeing the transition from a DJ based sound system to recording artist to (however briefly) the encapsulation of a black musical experience of which the mainstream had been largely unaware.

This story has been visited previously in other musical collections which are still available, but this release offers itself as THE history lesson of how Soul II Soul moved from the "community centres of North London...to some of the most pretigious and influential clubs in the world", and does so with an apparent awareness that such narratives can be rewritten or reframed, often by those not originally involved in the making of the story. To help with this framing the collection is divided in to three parts - 'Pre Africa Centre', 'Africa Centre/Rare Groove' and finally 'Africa Centre/ The Fridge' - each drawing upon the experiences of the 'places and spaces' of seminal importance to the soundsystem collective.

But what about the music? For a collection to present (however imperfectly) nearly thirty years of music linked to Soul II Soul is quite an undertaking, but this collection does generally manage to present a coherent overview of what you might have heard being played during this period, including some records now considered to be 'classics' of their genre. Melba Moore's 'You Stepped In To My Life', written by the Bee Gees, is a glorious exursion that exists somewhere between Disco and Boogie, whilst Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes points back at Disco and the 'sound of Philadelphia' whilst hinting at the later soundscapes which would be developed in House music. A particularly interesting inclusion is El Coco's 'Let's Get Together', which references Jazz and Jazz Funk (an often derided genre), but which underlines the fact that much of the music contained in this collection is multi-referencing, representing a constant fusion and redevelopment of earlier sounds and influences.

Generally the quality is consistent throughout the three discs, but, as might be expected, there are some omissions - some quite unexpected. Hip Hop doesn't feature except for Eric B & Rakim's 'I Know You Got Soul' and tracks by Slick Rick and Cypress Hill, which is particularly odd given that the 'Rare Groove' warehouse 'scene' was one of the few avenues where Hip Hop could be played and contextualised alongside Funk and Soul. Those around at the time will know that very often such places offered a respite from the crowds following 4/4 beats, wearing yellow smiley faces, and shouting 'Acieeeeed'.

Perhaps it is for this reason that early house music is well represented on disc three - Nitro Deluxe, Adonis, Mr Fingers and Raze appear - perhaps to remind the listener that house music originated from black music and some of the music and genres featured earlier in this collection. The point, as Jazzie B would no doubt acknowledge, is that the historical context and original narratives matter.

After the early house featured on disc three the gaps between the music widen - possibly reflecting the fact that by this time Soul II Soul were concentrating on making and promoting their own music, not on playing the music of others. This means that disc three is possibly the weakest disc thematically, attempting to cover the broadest time span.

So, with all this in mind, do you buy this collection?

The biggest strength of the collection is the music, offering a good choice of records which are not widely available elsewhere. If you like Norman Jay's 'Good Times' series then I would suggest this disc is likely to appeal strongly, as both Jazzie and Norman draw from a shared musical heritage. The mastering is good, and the collection is presented in a handsome jacket.

But there are points to raise. Buyers should be aware that the discs have been mixed, or rather an attempt has been made to blend and move from one track to another. This might well have been done 'live', and using vinyl, as there are a few moments where the medium is betrayed by audible 'pops' and 'clicks'. But despite this the presentation isn't particularly exciting and the order of the tracks indicates that building any sense of coherent propulsion clearly wasn't a concern. Furthermore Jazzie B has never been noted for his technical skills as a DJ, he fits within the older tradition of DJ and Soundman. This becomes particularly evident even when presented with material designed and structured by DJs to be mixed - and one is ultimately left wondering why Jazzie and the music company bothered. If Jazzie felt that it would be better to allow the music to 'breathe' without unnecessary alteration or adulteration it would have been far better to allow the tracks to stand alone or have another member of the Soul II Soul collective mix the tracks if required.

Also, given the fact that the collection is presented as providing a history lesson regarding Soul II Soul's development, it would have been welcome to have Jazzie provide far more detailed liner notes, perhaps to indicate the significance of any particular songs, or even specific reminiscences. Sadly this is lacking, which devalues the obvious care that can be seen in the material presentation of this set.

This means that the best way to appreciate this collection is to simply play through the set, and concentrate on the quality of the music that is presented. The real value of this collection lies in the fact that it might inspire an individual to explore further the musical back catalogues of any of the featured artists. Indeed, if this collection appeals to you, then you might well like to continue by obtaining a copy of 'Mastercuts Classic Soul', a collection also put togther by Jazzie B and very similar in qualitative terms. Although currently 'deleted' it can still be found with a little effort.

In conclusion, the music and the packaging of this set is outstanding, but the collection suffers due to the poor mixing and presentation.

Recommended, but conditionally so.

This review probably falls in between the other 2 reviews. Back in the 80s, I was a big fan of the rare groove/hip hop/house scene, which predated the 1988 Summer of Love, when of course, everything changed! Over the years, I've been picking up as many of the tracks I missed from around that time and of course Soul II Soul were massive on that scene then. The Africa Centre CD covers a big chunk and this CD fills in a lot of gaps. Every era covered on the 3 CDs is spot on, with good track selection and I've managed to get hold of 3-4 tracks I've been missing for over 20 years! Jazzie's show on Fridays on BBC London is a fantastic catch as well, bringing back memories of London pirate shows from many moons ago! Overall, for the price and the quality of songs included, I surmise that this CD is fantastic value!

A fantastic mix CD, fans of the Norman Jay 'Good Times' series will love this...a mixture of styles represented from rare groove to house to soul. I cannot praise this enough and would recommend this to any true dance music fan, in addition to this, check out Jazzie's live mix compilation 'Live At The Africa Centre'