Jazz in the Present Tense (1994)

The Solsonics don't attempt to force a shotgun wedding between hip-hop and jazz, although they clearly appreciate the grooves of the former and the improvisational craftsmanship of the latter. Here, the bass and drums get equal billing with the sax, trumpets, and keyboards, and the vocalists know not to hog the spotlight. Add some Latin and reggae influences, and you've got a jam session that's multicultural without being corny.