Live Jazz (1998)
by Yves Saint Laurent

Live Jazz by Yves Saint Laurent - One is initially treated to a citric blast of bittersweetness from tangy grapefruit and zesty lemon. Sweet spearmint invades the citrus duet, and, with its brightness, fosters a refreshing and cooling sensation. This invigorating medley brews for a spell before meandering to the adaptive middle. Here, in the heart, heaps of coriander, with its spicy and faintly sweet grassiness, commingle with the tart and vegetal rhubarb leaf, and envelop the opening concoction infusing it with warmth and greenness. A faint strawlike something twinkles in the background, along with the minty citrus. Transitioning to the waiting base, dusty and dry cedar, somewhat floral and honeyed ambergris and a tinge of vanilla intermingle to generate a pleasing drydown. This all-season composition has average projection, after an hour becoming a skin scent, and longevity, 5-8 hours. In view of the foregoing as well as its favorable price point and wonderful versatility, an enthusiastic "thumbs up" is warranted.

20th January, 2012.

Amazing summer scent, I like to spray 2 times in the same spot in the skin, because the citrus notes became heavy and acid, that reminds me Ungaro I , which I love it. And the drydown is beautiful. One of my top 10.
Thumbs up for YSL !

22nd December, 2011.

Afraafra was correct in his assumption, not everyone will like this fragrance. To be honest, I was turned off it at first. It seemed too sharp, too citrusy, too synthetic. It does improve as it settles, however the initial scent may have you running for the scrubbing brush.

When I say too citrusy, that's not just me complaining because citrus is not my thing. The lemon and grapefruit tend to clash, creating a strange, sour sharpness that is more headache-inducing than refreshing.

The mint is more like toothpaste than the fresh, green kind. The top notes, to my nose, just seem all wrong.

The scent does improve thankfully with the introduction of the slightly spicy rhubarb and coriander. Live Jazz actually begins to smell somewhat delicious and starts to hint at an element of freshness, possibly even sexiness.

The base is rather smooth, nutty and woodsy. I unfortunately didn't get much in the way of the vanilla, which was something I was looking forward to.

Live Jazz has me changing my opinions every few seconds. One moment it will make my nose wrinkle with its acidity, the next minute it intrigues me. Personally, I probably wouldn't like a significant other of mine to wear this, seeming that it is so strong and so sharp. For some it may be their holy grail.

Live Jazz does have a touch of classiness, however its ruthlessness happens to suggest otherwise at times. My only tip would be to apply sparingly, in fear of people dropping like flies in their millions.

19th November, 2011.

Terrific summer scent, citrusy with an elegant dash of herbal flavoring to lift it out of mundane and boring into the realm of great. Tends to be a low key scent as well if you want to be discreet.

18th October, 2011.

This is a great scent. First off, Live Jazz is very inexpensive, astonishingly so for its quality. Second, it smells great. I'll let others parse the specific notes in it, since I admit my nose isn't perfectly precise. I'll just say that this is a perfect daily wear scent, and has just enough complexity to be worn at night. Frankly, this comes about as close to being a jack-of-all-trades scent as you'll find: one that you can wear any time on any occasion. Big thumbs up.

7th October, 2011. (Last Edited: 11th November, 2011.)

Bitter citrus and refreshing, sparkling mint explode off this one when it's first sprayed. Thereafter it morphs into a deliciously sour and grass-green heart that is bolstered by a rich woody base. The vanilla is not overpowering and sweet as vanilla often can be, but instead thrums subtly in the background lending a glowing warmth to the rest of the composition. The first half hour of this fragrance wakes you up; thereafter it is the perfect close-wearing, masculine skin scent. Whenever I am in the mood for a fragrance that not only makes me smell fresh, but also FEEL fresh, I reach for my bottle of Live Jazz.

12nd September, 2011.