[ti:Jazz Thing] [ar:Gang Starr] [al:MUSIC FROM MO' BETTER BLUES] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]Jazz Thing - Gang Starr [00:00.71]Written by:L.E. Elie/B. Marsalis/C. Martin/K. Elam [00:01.43]I would like to play a little tune [00:03.41]I just composed not so long ago [00:07.47]Ms. Billie Ms. Billie Ms. Billie Holiday [00:17.33]Byrd [00:24.43]The music called jazz [00:46.10]It's roots are in the sounds of the African [00:47.92]Or should I say the mother [00:49.80]Bringing us back again [00:51.18]From the drumming on the Congo [00:52.63]We came with a strong flow [00:54.32]And continue to grow [00:55.66]Feet move to the beat of the t'balo [00:58.37]Now dig the story and follow [01:00.03]For then it landed on American soil [01:03.07]Through the sweat the blood and the toil [01:05.15]Hear [01:05.33]Praise the Lord shouted on chain gangs [01:07.71]Pain they felt but it helped them to maintain [01:10.03]Scott Joplin's rags [01:11.06]Bessie Smith's blues [01:12.25]St. Louis blues they were all the news [01:14.45]Ringing smooth in all the listeners ears [01:17.06]Fulfilling the needs and planting the seeds [01:19.13]Of a jazz thing [01:24.35]King Oliver's group was a train coming through [01:26.36]To Chicago bringing the New Orleans groove [01:28.80]And when Satchmo blew the audience knew [01:31.23]Basil Street blues was the whole house tune [01:33.47]It was music great to dance to [01:36.19]Great to romance to with a lot to say to you [01:38.57]Relaying a message revealing the essence [01:40.82]Of a jazz thing [01:43.20]In the 40's came be-bop the first be-bop [01:45.62]The real be-bop so let me talk about [01:48.12]Diz' and Byrd giving the word [01:50.40]Defining how a beat could be so complete [01:52.78]Playing with ferocity thinking with velocity [01:55.23]About ornathology or anthropology [01:57.61]And even and this is real history [01:59.99]Theolonious Monk a melodious thunk [02:02.17]No mistakes were made with the notes he played [02:04.35]His conception was re condite [02:07.04]A star glowing bright among dim lights [02:09.47]The critics did cite that he sounded alright [02:11.75]Charlie Mingus such nimble fingers [02:14.34]Droppin the bass all over the place [02:16.56]And Max Roach cymbals socking [02:19.16]Bass drum talking snare drum rocking [02:21.56]Restructuring the metaphysics [02:23.69]Of a jazz thing [02:30.82]John Coltrane a man supreme [02:33.36]He was the cream he was the wise one [02:36.28]The impression of Afro Blue [02:38.06]And of the promise that was not kept [02:40.42]He was a GIANT step [02:42.24]And there was Ornette Coleman [02:44.00]He was another soul man [02:45.76]The original invisible playing great music [02:48.76]I wonder why the [02:49.42]Bangles couldn't use it [02:51.14]Now listen see [02:52.43]The real mystery is how music history [02:54.87]Created by white men or any other white man [02:57.62]That pretended he originated uh-huh [03:00.05]And contended that he innovated uh-huh [03:02.23]A jazz thing [03:03.37]Of course we know who can really blow [03:05.67]Scheamin on the meaning [03:06.66]Of a jazz thing [03:42.59]And this music ain't dead so don't be misled [03:44.88]By those who said that jazz was on it's deathbed [03:47.82]Cause when Betty Carter sings a song [03:49.74]Ain't nutting going on but simply good music [03:53.26]And you won't refuse it [03:54.68]She's taking her time making the nuances rhyme [03:57.08]Sonny Rollins tenor saxophone [03:59.18]With a big old tone reciting poems [04:01.65]With notes as words and haven't you heard [04:04.15]Next stop butter right past oleo [04:06.96]Now there's young cats blowing [04:08.40]And more and more people yes they will be knowing [04:11.39]Jazz ain't the past this music's gonna last [04:13.92]And as the facts unfold remember who foretold [04:15.98]The 90's will be the decade of [04:18.39]A jazz thing [04:21.00]A jazz thing [04:23.25]A jazz thing [04:28.09]A jazz thing [04:32.78]A jazz thing [04:37.68]A jazz thing