Jazzhole

A blend of atmospheric textures, electronica, and vintage R&B defines the acid jazz project Jazzhole, founded by Warren Rosenstein and Marlon Saunders. Maryland-born Saunders handles lead vocals for the duo; early exposure to gospel and R&B sparked his interest in music, and studies at the Berklee School of Music deepened his appreciation for jazz. He went on to contribute vocals to recordings by Bobby McFerrin, Michael Jackson, Nine Inch Nails, and Sting. Rosenstein, a lifelong New Yorker, manages engineering, songwriting, keyboards, and sampling duties. Prior to Jazzhole he contributed to early acid jazz releases such as Soho’s “Hot Music” and the CFM Band’s “Jazz It Up,” then decided to launch his own group and linked up with Saunders in the early ’90s. For the debut album the pair assembled an extensive roster of collaborators that included rapper KCB of Us3, Ahmed Best (best-known for playing Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace), Jack Ruby Jr. (vocalist of the Toasters and son of reggae producer Jack Ruby), Ronnie Russ, vocalists Michelle Lewis and Rosa Russ, guitarist John Pondel of Kombo, bassist Scott Colley, and saxophonist David Binney. Shortly afterward they signed with the Blue Moon imprint, an Atlantic subsidiary, and issued their self-titled first album in 1994; critics frequently drew parallels between Jazzhole and Us3 or the Brand New Heavies. Their follow-up, And the Feeling Goes Round, arrived the next year, while the third album, Blackburst, appeared in 2000 following a five-year hiatus.