Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Stetsasonic "Talkin All That Jazz"


This hip-hop gem was the second single off Stetsasonic's second album, In Full Gear (1988) and showcases the original hip-hop band's still unique mix of live instrumentation and rap. Pinned on a jazzy shuffle with Lonnie Liston Smith's Expansions bassline - played on stand-up bass - the tune is testament to an incredible era of hip-hop. There's some classic fashion of the time in this clip too - the 'black force' image a la Public Enemy in the bar through to the white boiler suit look, Prince Paul and the crew sure looked the part. De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, BDP....Talkin All That Jazz would have been influential to them all.