Jazz
Yves Saint Laurent (1988)

Jazz opens with a bright and fresh mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and lavender, then dries down to sandalwood and cedar. Projects well for a couple of hours, and lasts a good 6 hours minimum.

Due to availability in my area I got to nose Ralph Lauren Safari eons before Jazz. When I finally got to smell Jazz I was astounded by the similarities. Eventually I also tried the reformulated Pasha de Cartier EDT and that was even closer to Jazz, albeit weaker. I'm told Salvador by Salvador Dali is also in the same vein. Just goes to show how influential Jazz was in the early 90s.

When Jazz was launched, the designer perfume industry was at crossroads. Unfortunately most designer houses chose the metallic freshie path of Cool Water and Eternity over this style, and the industry never recovered. Just my humble opinion.

Masculinity Level: Di Caprio in Inception.

YSL seem to make some great scents that have rather average longevity. YSL Jazz is no exception it lasts about 4 hours on my skin but the scent is wonderful. It evokes a certain classiness, a sense of a purposeful man about town. Jazz is an aromatic fragrance that is fresh, a little spicy in the opening and with a well blended floral dry down that also reveals some woody notes. In the opening there are distinct bergamot, nutmeg and anise notes. The sandalwood comes through early for me. During the dry down there are geranium and lavender notes along with the woodiness from the sandalwood and a hint of leather. It is a beautifully blended fragrance that I remember was very popular in the very early 90s. The sillage of Jazz is about arm length. Although I love the fragrance I think it is starting to date a bit, but I still enjoy wearing it very much. I think older millennials and gen-x men would appreciate it more as it was a fragrance of our generation. It is a versatile fragrance that can be worn year round and in a variety of settings.

He is a elegant and mature gentleman, wears a shirt with a collar and an actual pair of shoes, hold a chair for a lady, silent to helpless critters, don't talk like a thug. The vintage Jazx is a ultra green, herbal, woody, spicy, classy and extremely masculine scent. An honest, good aromatic fougere. Very much an 80's/90's powerhouse, but still revelant today. For those of you who love to idolize stars like Sean Connery, James Dean or Elvis; Jazz could be any of these people. This really sets you apart from the boys. Refreshing and bright on the opening, classy in the mids, and a dry down to die for. A real head-turner.

A bursts of coriander, cardamom and lavender freshened up with a bit of citrus starts the fragrance off. The green notes mixed with the coniferous and herbaceous notes is so beautifully masculine. The spice comes through in the mid of this scent and acts as a great backdrop for the other notes. With the added healty dash of sandalwood and oakmoss in the dry down. The oakmoss is discernible, though somewhat toned down, and together with tobacco and woods comprise an abstract accord that concludes the final transformation. This scent also exudes a lovely aromatic earthiness like autumn rain in a garden. Though not particularly barbershop in nature either. Elegant and powerful, but not as dark and macho as Antaeus, Jules or Quorum. perfect for formal occasionsa or late night encounter. Pure class in a bottle.

YSL Jazz EDT Splash (Vintage Black and White bottle) -

Straight-ahead. This isn't fusion or rock 'n' roll.

This is a walking upright bass and a swinging ride cymbal. A locked in rhythm section that can hold it down for hours while the soloists out front explore the tune.

Think of the legendary Miles Davis Quintet from the mid-50's. Straight-ahead, all the way.

4.5 stars

I have a bottle from cir. 1995. It is too emotive to give a fair review as this scent takes me back to my college days and all of the memories associated with that time (1991 +)

It is a lovely 90s carnation-cedarwood fragrance that will probably mean something to people that are already searching out a bottle. However, it isn't worth buying if you are not familiar with it already.

Has that Kouros opening that is borderline unpleasant but in the dry down it weakens but still nothing to wear often. One of those you need to sample 1st. I did not do that and wish I had. Really not my thing cause it is that barber shop smell. Nice bottle though.