DX: Jazz in the ‘60s was hardcore, it was dense, it was hard to digest. In the ‘70s, fusion was welcomed and there was a more conventional approach to music. You’ve worked with Jazz artists from both eras on Jazzmatazz. Do you think this progression parallels what’s happened with Hip Hop going from the ‘90s to today?
G: Hmm. That’s a very good point – very good. I would say yes. There is a correlation. There are so many correlations between Hip Hop and Jazz, even in the cadences of beats and so forth, you can hear Hip Hop rhythms in the beats and so forth; it’s bananas. Each evolution of each artform and each genre relates to the times that we’re livin’ in. it relates to what’s going on commercially, in the mainstream, and then artists who go against the grain. Most of the artists that I’ve worked with in Jazzmatazz, they started out as pure Jazz, but then they all ventured into fusion. From Ramsey Lewis to Roy Ayers and Donald Byrd and Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes and so forth, they were into fusion. Herbie and Ramsey started messin’ with the synthesizer.

DX: How do you both feel about the term or the genre “Smooth Jazz”?
S: I see Smooth Jazz as a [synonym] for Modern Jazz. I listen to the Smooth Jazz station a lot of times coming back from the airport, 101. You’ll hear Alicia Keys and Earth Wind & Fire in there.
G: Spiro Gyra.
S: George Benson. This is something that we’re looking to work into our repertoire. We’ve looked at getting ["Living Legend"], the David Sanborn track onto there. We just haven’t had time to work radio.
G: [We want] to be the first Hip Hop artist in that format.
S: I think Smooth Jazz is the future. It keeps it lighter in the sense, but at the same time, it’s still recognized as Jazz.

DX: You mentioned an interesting point about being shunned by the Grammy’s. Queen Latifah has evolved from emcee to Jazz and Soul vocalist, and she’s gotten the support from the Grammy’s. You guys have not. Do you think there’s a reason for that, perhaps the cursing on the records?
G: If you’re gonna nominate a crackhead [Amy Winehouse].
S: Or if you’re gonna nominate Kanye. I just don’t see it. Quite honestly, I think this is another example of America looking foolish to the rest of the world. We’re getting ready to go on tour to London to Moscow to Greece, I think they’re looking at this and rubbing their fingers, “Shame on America.” They love Guru. They love this concept. They love this intelligent music, and America turns its back on it?
G: The Timebomb is a whole new extension. On all four volumes, there’s never been any cursing. Not by design, it just came out like that. That’s even more brilliant. It’s almost like they’re trying to ask like it doesn’t exist.
S: If this is what it means these days, to give awards to a crackhead who can’t even perform onstage without doing coke, but Guru and Solar can’t get an award, then it’s a wake-up for America. And we are good Americans, so don’t get it twisted. The people are our Grammy. You’re our Grammy.

DX: What are your record collections like and how are they organized?
S: I have a have a huge vinyl collection that encompasses records all the way back to the ‘20s, ‘30s. I just did some record shopping. I just bought the soundtrack to Guys & Dolls, Aliens, Blazing Saddles. I just love recorded music. My record collection is of everything. My musical taste runs the gambit. I don’t have it organized. [Laughs] It’s a nightmare to have to dig through the crates for the vinyl. Limewire is how I organize it.
G: His basement is full. I don’t have a lot of vinyl; I used to. Over the years…some of it’s with my parents, out there in Cape Cod, and the rest of it has been dispersed. I have a lot of CDs, and so forth. As far as the vinyl, Solar’s got tons.

DX: It’s old news now maybe, but as a guy from Boston, you’re still such a New Yorker. How did you look at The Super Bowl?
G: I had to root for the Giants. I’m here now; I’m an honorary New Yorker. Something in my gut told me in my gut that they were gonna make history. I also felt like the Patriots had won enough. Fall back for a minute. [Laughs] Thirdly, I had to root for my man Michael Strahan. They dragged him through the mud for that 15 million dollar [alimony suit] here in New York; it’s good to see him get ‘em back.

DX: Lastly, Jazzmatazz has been time capsules on CDs and vinyl. Have there been performances to go along with the Jazz artists for these releases?
G: Yeah. Extensively. The first Jazzmatazz Tour, I had Donald Byrd from ’93 to ’95, all over the world. I toured also with Lonnie Liston Smith. It was bananas, yo. Donald Byrd with his hat to the back, with some Timbs on. Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock and Angie Stone all toured with me. We toured in 2007 with the 7 Grand Band, who Solar has assembled, of the top musicians from all over the world.
S: Hand-picked from Africa to America to Canada to the U.K. It’s just hard for us now, and I need to get this point out. It’s an independent record, and we do need the support. We need the fans to buy physical copies, to download legally to keep this thing going. As an independent label, to try and keep a full band going, it’s almost impossible. We love that element, we’d just like to get to a better financial state to do it.