YSL Jazz - first impressions

[ralmeida]

This is one of the first fragrances I've worn where I feel like I can make clear comparisons to other scents, so apologizes in advance if this is heavy on analogy.

Jazz opens with a lively but traditional sweeter lemon & light musk that reminds me of AdP Colonia. The latter, however, strikes me as both more "natural" smelling but also possessed of a note that I find really off-putting, something that I think of as "very old man", a note that suggests decay from within. Jazz's opening is refined and lacks this note.

As the top notes fade, the lavender-geranium aromatic fougere accord comes through clearly, strongly evocative of Azzaro Pour Homme, though again much more smooth and refined. Azzaro is very brash to me, while Jazz is assertive but polished. It also retains a chord of herbal lemon that balances the fougere accord nicely. Carnation and cinnamon add some sweetness and complexity, giving the mid notes some similarity to Tsar by VC&A, though Tsar is much "greener" and relies more on the floral notes..

I'm only about 2 hours into my wearing, but Jazz is definitely drying down into a pleasant aromatic woody amber.

Verdict: conservative, classic, and distinctive, 8/10. I don't reach for Azzaro too often, but when I get that urge now I could very well turn to Jazz instead.

[dougczar]

I have a sample of Jazz. I wasn't really expecting much from it (actually, I was expecting to not like it), but I was plesantly suprised - I actually found it quite nice.

Nice review!

[Oslo-Fjord]

Quite nice, but Cartier Pasha is better.

- - - Updated - - -

Quite nice, but Cartier Pasha is better.

[sjg3839]

Nice review guy. Pretty much summed this one up.

[hednic]

Have the original release and love it.

[Scentologist]

I love it as well!

[Mos]

smells like old man, LIVE JAZZ on the other hand smells amazing.

[Ken_Russell]

Thanks for the impressions on this scent. YSL Jazz is one of the best readily available and quite affordable male classics still in production.

[MonkeyBars]

Yes I think the comparison to Tsar is very valid -- they smell very, very similar after an hour or two.

I much prefer Tsar though because it lacks the synthetic florals -- I get dihydromyrcenol in Jazz -- in the heart.

Live Jazz otoh is all synthetic, dhm again. Nasty and common.

I only tried Pasha a couple times but found it much more green-synthetic than Jazz or Tsar. Not wearable for me.

[gimpy]

Jazz is one of the few modern, masculine fougere's left.

[mrcologneguy]

Very glad I bought it. Quite good, complex, of reasonable quality in terms of ingredients and composition. Nice packaging. And you can find it at a good price. What's not to like?

[ashr]

I agree. I tried it once and it didn't blow me away, but I definitely like it. You can't really go wrong with it. I think it's quite cheap in most places, so it's worth picking up.

[martinijo]

Very glad I bought it. Quite good, complex, of reasonable quality in terms of ingredients and composition. Nice packaging. And you can find it at a good price. What's not to like?

Indeed. I've been wearing this in today's high temperatures (for the UK) and it is has been great.
Strangely somebody told me I smelled of marijuana, which I have noticed with Live Jazz but not with this.
I used to find it a touch too dry but now it feels very well balanced.

[Nosebud]

Have the vintage and current formulation.

Love the dry down. Look forward to seeing a post after 8 hours.

[Bigsly]

You won't experience the perfumer's intentions unless you try the vintage version, IMO. The new one is less dynamic and heavier. Not bad, but no reason to call it Jazz, whereas the original has a kind of liveliness to it without becoming unbalanced or irritating.

[manicboy]

Jazz is quite nice but since I've found the lovely Jazz Prestige, I don't wear it much. Prestige adds a deep rosewood note to Jazz to makes it golden.

[Francolino]

only love the vintage..a staple..hoarde two big bottles and five small ones!

[nfn1983]

a respectable classic and still good in the new formulation. (the tall bottle like Live Jazz, not the newest one!)

[voidvader]

i like it. It has a lot of moss in the basenotes.

[martinijo]

a respectable classic and still good in the new formulation. (the tall bottle like Live Jazz, not the newest one!)

Agreed.
I think there is a real problem with the latest bottle, (unlike Rive Gauche in the same new series)