Also this issue: OK, Here's The Situation Prodigal rocker Christopher Tucker is back with a brand-new invention. -A.D. Amorosi CD Reviews -Nicole Pensiero, Mary Armstrong and A.D. Amorosi Sage Francis -Elisa Ludwig The Raveonettes -A.D. Amorosi Wu Man -Peter Burwasser Carissa's Wierd -Patrick Rapa The Gig -Nate Chinen on Jazz Vienna Philharmonic -Peter Burwasser

February 27-March 5, 2003

musicpicks

Gang Starr

In the rap history book, Gang Starr will be remembered as pioneers and visionaries during the graduation from old to new school. Guru and DJ Premiere helped move hip-hop away from the monstrous big beats of the Roland 808 drum machine and ushered in soothing samples and a smoky, jazz club backdrop for the rhymes. Like The Last Poets before them and A Tribe Called Quest and Digable Planets soon after, Gang Starr challenged the rigid b-boy stance of the day and saw the possibilities of the stylistic merger between hip-hop and jazz. (Enthralled with the combination, Guru released two volumes of the Jazzmatazz project, mixing the cream of the jazz and hip-hop worlds.) Along the way, especially in recent years, Gang Starr has been put aside so the two could pursue countless collaborations: DJ Premiere has produced the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Jay-Z and Jeru the Damaja; Guru's worked with jazz legend Donald Byrd, Roy Ayers and N'Dea Davenport. With The Ownerz, Gang Starr's first album since "'8, the two are back together to set rap straight again.

Sat., March 1, 8:30 p.m., $29.50-$33, with Common, Floetry and Talib Kweli, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000.

—Paul Burress