*** Guru's Jazzmatazz

STREETSOUL

(Virgin)

Lolita Storm

G.F.S.U.

(Digital Hardcore)

So much for the experimental fusion of hip-hop and jazz that characterized Guru's first two Jazzmatazz albums. The latest installment in this series shuffles the jam sessions with iconic beboppers like Donald Byrd for pop-wise collaborations with boho R&B crooners (Erykah Badu, Macy Gray, Kelis) and top-shelf hip-hop producers (Jay Dee, DJ Premier, Neptunes). It's a smart move, partly because 1995 Jazzmatazz Vol. 2 fell flat on its ass, but it also makes Streetsoul sound strangely au courant: mainstream black pop has finally caught up with Guru's neo-retro outlook. Guru's didactic slant and monotone flow are the epitome of reserved East Coast hardness, but these duets have the mellow-voiced maestro relaxing a bit. Sounding decidedly sweet on "Plenty," Guru charms a flighty Erykah Badu with a foot massage and a giggle. The Neptunes' twitchy funk creates a backdrop for a little relationship drama on "All I Said," with Macy Gray providing the female outlook. And the usually level-headed Guru actually sounds excited on "Certified." It's hard to blame him -- Bilal's son-of-D'angelo testifying and Jay Dee's barroom funk groove could warm the heart of the hardest b-boy.

-- Michael Endelmen