Product Description

In 1978, all eyes were on Queen as they released the follow-up to their monster global hit NEWS OF THE WORLD. Predictably, JAZZ didn't achieve the massive commercial success of it's predecessor, but in aesthetic terms, it's a solid statement, and a marked progression of the band's musical vision. Though the band was already well into their "eclectic" mode by this time, the stylistic ventures the band takes on this album bring them even further afield from the heavy rock they're best known for.
Freddie Mercury kicks things off with"Mustapha", a nod to his Middle Eastern origins. Queen exhibits a ribald sense of humour on "Fat Bottomed Girls". Mercury indulges his Broadway tendencies to the hilt on "IF You Can't Beat Them" and "Don't Stop Me Now", which sound like they could have come from some obscure '50s musical. The jazzy"Dreamer's Ball" and the mellow, romantic "In Only Seven Days" provide welcome contrast. Amid all this eclecticism, though, the standout tracks are the propulsive rockers "Let Me Entertain You" (whose promise they fulfil) and "Dead on Time".

Track Listing

1. Mustapha
2. Fat Bottomed Girls
3. Jealousy
4. Bicycle Race
5. If You Can't Beat Them
6. Let Me Entertain You
7. Dead On Time
8. In Only Seven Days
9. Dreamers Ball
10. Fun It
11. Leaving Home Ain't Easy
12. Don't Stop Me Now
13. More Of That Jazz

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2100 in Music
• Released on: 1994-02-07
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

jazz
Possibly one of the best album's they ever made. Good heavy jazz/ rock throughout, good weird songs from Mercury, safe rock from Deacon, humourous silly stuff from Taylor and a few very good numbers from May.
Queen was always jazz and it still is. Great album.

JAZZ
Genius producer Roy Thomas Baker returns to twiddle the knobs on this seventh album by the greatest British band of the Seventies. It may have been a nightmare getting them in the studio at the same time, but when he did, they still rocked like bastards. 'Jazz' is an exuberant record awash with great melodies, stunning vocal performances from the Persian poppinjay and crunching axe wizardry courtesy of rock's most inventive guitarist. Highlights include the exhilarating high-speed mumbo jumbo of opener 'Mustapha', 'Fat Bottomed Girls', 'Bicycle Race', ballads 'Jealousy' and 'Dreamer's Ball' and the superlative 'Don't Stop Me Now'. Amazon's star rating system is entirely inadequate in such circumstances.

Jazz is weird
Mixed reviews at the time and now. But, like its predecessor, News of the world, this album DOES have a few hidden and not so hidden gems. Quality control issues are to the fore with a few turkeys in the grooves but Freddie's vocal does pull this album up by the scruff of its neck; he's never sounded better. Pity about the compressed production - with a looser feel and sound, this album could've been a gem!