featuring Branford Marsalis (instrumentally only)



* original version appeared on the "Mo' Better Blues" soundtrack



"I would like to play a.. little tune I just composed not so long ago"

"Ms. Billie Ms. Billie Ms. Billie Holiday"

*HORNS*

*drum roll* *piano keys played*

*HORNS*

"Byrd..?" *trumpet solo* *group horns*

"The music called jazz.." > Guru

*HORNS*



[Guru]

It's roots are in the sounds of the African

or should I say the mother.. bringin us back again

From the drummin on the Congo, we came with a strong flow

and continue to grow

Feet move, to the beat of the t'balo

Now dig the story and follow

For then it landed, on American soil

Through the sweat, the blood, and the toil

Hear, "Praise the Lord," shouted on chain gangs

Pain they felt, but it helped them to maintain

Scott Joplin's rags, Bessie Smith's blues

St. Louis blues, they were all the news

Ringin smooth.. in all the listeners ears

Fulfillin the needs, and plantin the seeds

of a jazz thing



King Oliver's group was a train comin through

to Chicago, bringin the New Orleans groove

And when Satchmo blew, the audience knew

Basil Street blues was the whole house tune

it was music.. great to dance to

Great to romance to with a lot to say to you

Relaying a message, revealing the essence

of a jazz thing



* DJ Premier cuts "jazz music" *



In the 40's came be-bop, the first be-bop

The real be-bop, so let me talk about

Diz' and Byrd, givin the word

Defining how a beat could be so complete

Playing with ferocity, thinkin with velocity

About ornathology, or anthropology

and even ?, and this is real history

Theolonious Monk, a melodious thunk





No mistakes were made with the notes he played

His conception, was ?re condite?

A star glowing bright among dim lights

The critics did cite that he sounded alright

Charlie Mingus, such nimble fingers

Droppin the bass, all over the place

and Max Roach, cymbals socking

Bass drum talking, snare drum rocking

Restructuring.. the metaphysics

of a jazz thing



John Coltrane, a man supreme

He was the cream.. he was the wise one

The impression of Afro Blue

and of the promise, that was not kept

He was a GIANT step, and there was Ornette Coleman

He was another soul man

The original invisible, playing great music

I wonder why the ?Bangles? couldn't use it

Now listen see

The real mystery is how music history

created by white men or any other white man

that pretended he originated "uh-huh.."

and contended that he innovated "uh-huh.."

a jazz thing

("Of course we know who can really blow")

Scheamin on the meaning

of a jazz thing



And this music ain't dead, so don't be misled

by those who said that jazz was on it's deathbed

Cause when Betty Carter sings a song

ain't nuttin goin on, but simply good music

And you won't refuse it

She's takin her time, makin the nuances rhyme

Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone

with a big old tone, recitin poems

with notes as words, and haven't you heard

NEXT STOP BUTTER, RIGHT PAST OLEO

Now there's young cats blowin

And more and more people, yes they will be knowin

Jazz ain't the past, this music's gonna last

and as the facts unfold, remember who foretold

The 90's, will be the decade of

a jazz thing "I love jazz music" (3X)



* Primo scratches "I love jazz music" *



A jazz thing