Jazz Funeral

[virusq]

Bittersweet bay rum, bourbon, and a host of funeral flowers with a touch of graveyard dirt, magnolia and Spanish Moss.

I really like the boozy scents, and my sister really likes the dirt notes, but Jazz Funeral displayed neither. It went on as a very pale and soft carnation smell, then settled into something akin to a lavender soap dish. Sorry, Jazz Funeral, my skin does not like you. :\

[Klolly]

In imp: Mmm. Very sweet, juicy gum smell with a hint of dirt

 

On wet: Very pretty, sweet floral. It reminds me a tad bit of The Hanging Gardens because it's slightly juicy fruit gum and very moist smelling too.

 

Dry: So far I'm not getting any alcohol. Just a juicy, gum floral and dirt. The dirt gets stronger and I think I have a headache reaction coming because when I smell it my head feels like it's tightening inside just like aquatics do to me. This smells really pretty. I totally expected something more dirt based like death cap or penny dreadful but it's nothing like either of those. The dirt note in this takes the gummy floral smell and makes it womanly rather than childish. This is definitely a beautiful blend.

[theredkilt]

I get a sharp bitter sweetness, which mellows out leaving a faint bubblegum smell

[bpalscentsual]

1/16/2012: Jazz Funeral (Ars Moriendi)

 

Previous scents: None.

 

In the bottle: This is a sharp, somewhat dank floral. Not something I would have chosen for myself, but it’s… kinda different, and nice for a change.

 

Testing method: Swiped wand twice against inside of both wrists.

 

Immediately: I’m really getting the dirt out of this first thing. Smells like a garden. Yeah, smells like early spring gardening, when you’re tilling in mud and clay to get your perennials planted.

 

Fifteen minutes: This is calming down into a deep floral. I think the rum and bourbon are helping to settle this a little and not make it so sweet, but this doesn’t smell like alcohol.

 

One hour: This has gotten much lighter on my skin. A very “Southern” floral – the magnolias are coming through. The soil has almost entirely disappeared, and the bourbon and rum are warming up the florals to keep them from getting too sweet, light, or papery. The scent itself seems slightly humid, but not sticky.

 

Several hours: Smells very sugary. Not syrupy-sweet, but like a sugared blossom. I thought the booze would be a lot stronger, but this is fading out sooner than I’d expected. I did get a “yes, that smells good” from The Pickiest Person In The World, so.

 

Overall: I like how it starts, I like the range, I like the not-overpowering floral. I like the dirt. I like everything about this. I’ll use it ‘til it’s gone –which might not be very long!

 

DISCLAIMER: Due to differences in skin chemistry, inherent olfactory powers, and other scents that an individual might use throughout the day (i.e. scented deodorants, shampoos, room sprays, cooking odors), these oils will smell different on every individual. This review is only intended to illustrate my personal experience wearing it throughout the day.

[Ghost of a Rose]

In the imp: Oil is a very pale yellow, almost ivory. Grassy, herbal, with a distinct note of earth. If I keep sniffing, I can pick up some flowers and a teeny bit of rum.

 

On me, wet: On me, the rum is much stronger - equal to the dirt - and somewhat buttery. The grassy/mossy note comes next, then the florals which are non-specific to my nose. And there's something here that is almost lemony. The mood is light and fresh, although the throw is fairly strong. In spite of the rum (I don't notice the bourbon, but then I'm less familiar with that), this is probably just a little too flowery to call it unisex. I like it.

 

After 10 minutes: The rum top note fades quickly, leaving the earth, grassiness, and florals to dominate, with that lemony undertone which is fainter now.

 

After 20 minutes: Sadly, some of the florals have also faded away. But the mostly grass-and-rich-earth scent that remains (together with a trace of the florals and that hint of lemon) is still quite nice.

 

After 30 minutes: The scent has faded significantly and very suddenly, just within the last ten minutes. It has become light in strength as well as in mood. That mysterious lemony note is gone. It's now all grassy moss and dirt with a touch of florals. But a teeny bit warmer - perhaps the lightening-up of the dominant notes has allowed some warmth to peek out from the remaining hidden traces of bourbon and buttery rum.

 

After 1 hour: Very faint now, and more mossy than earthy. Otherwise much the same, still with a bit of floral character that is now somewhat reminiscent of a classic perfume in late drydown.

 

After 2 hours: The scent is gone.

 

 

Verdict: Feminine, but not in-your-face girly. Mainly grassy moss and earth, with a touch of florals; and fairly consistent over time. While not exactly "cooling," this is light and fresh enough in mood to make it a lovely fragrance for warm weather. It's not particularly long-lasting, but that might be a positive in hot seasons, when a long-lived fragrance can seem annoyingly heavy after a while. I especially would like to wear this in a perfume locket, to preserve more of my beloved florals longer, together with the complexity contributed by the rum top note.

My rating: 4 stars

[fufu_berry]

This one was a weird experience. At first when I put it on, it smelled really soapy and sharp, which I think must have been the florals. Then it got really really sweet and powdery - maybe the flowers + bourbon? About every 10 minutes it would switch between sweet and soapy. It wasn't terribly unpleasant, but I never got any bay rum or dirt, which is what I was really looking forward to. I think this will have to find a new home.

[kythe]

wet: Sweet floral air freshener.

 

drydown: A deep, mature, flowery sweetness. Very strong. There's an incredibly fresh and complex smell unlike any floral perfume I've smelled, perhaps due to the magnolia. Intriguing but too flowery for my personal taste. If I continuously sniff long enough to desensitize to the flowers, the dirt comes out. Dirt! How does BPAL do it?

 

1 hour: The flowers are fading, leaving behind a boozy, edible vibe.

 

2 hours: The booze and dirt are now balanced nicely with the flowers! I could wear this.

 

3.5 hours: Faded to a generic middle aged woman's perfume. Damn.

 

A fun experience but not something I'd wear. Swap.

[ajansuz]

This was a lab frimp with a recent order. I had been wanting to try this for a while now, so I was pretty excited!

 

In the imp there's a lot going on. It's an intriguing blend. The florals are sweet and swampy, lily, magnolia, gladioli, a hint of carnation. I really love the lab's dirt note, and it's fairly prominent here. I'm not getting the booze notes which surprises me since they're usually pretty prominent.

 

Wet the dirt comes out more strongly in the crooks of my arms than on my wrists. On my wrists the florals are sweet with a hint of decay. It's very evocative of its name. I'm a little concerned it could go cloying, but it doesn't.

 

If this has a weakness, it's in the lasting power. After just two hours, it's very faint. When it first dries, it's a lovely, intriguing white floral with the complexity of earth and moss. After three hours it's gone completely. I'll really enjoy the imp, but I think that will be the extent of it. I like my fragrances to last a little longer than this.

[BoneBone24]

Wet: Sweet bay rum with something earthy and green.

 

Drydown: Spicier and not so sweet now. A deep and masculine mix of bay rum, bourbon, and dirt, spiked with woodsy moss. The floral notes aren’t terribly strong, but they do soften the blend and add a cologne-like element.

 

Dry: Woodsy, boozy, spicy, smoky, and floral, without being “too” any of those things. Well-balanced, attractive, and somewhat spooky. I like it!

 

 

 

 

7.5 out of 10 bones

[nihil]

In vial: Tangy rum and flowers.

Wet: Mixed flowers in wet earth with a little rum and lime drizzled over.

Dry: Muted floral scent with moss and dirt accompanying a vague bourbon smell.

 

Very nice, but not as daring as I had hoped. Dissipates too quickly. Will need to try more of this to be sure.

[Haltija]

I really never thought I would like much less love this scent as much as I do.

I love bay rum, spanish moss and anything that smells like dirt but I am not the biggest fan of magnolia for many reasons.

 

THAT IS UNTIL I DISCOVERED THIS BEAUTIFUL BLEND!!

In the bottle it is just crisp greenery with a little herbal tinge

Wet on the skin it turns into the same crisp greenery but with less herbal now and sharp moss and the magnolia is barely noticeable

Dry on the skin it completely takes me by storm......... the magnolia comes out a little bit but it isn't giving me a headache or making me think of bad memories like it usually did. Strangely I am comforted by it and it has a tiny warm feeling with it and it smells so Southern which I am and it just brings a immediate smile to my face.

 

This just gets more and more lovely with each time that I wear it and it is my favorite scent right now. It may not be completely perfect for the upcoming Autumn season but I am still gonna wear it because it's that comforting and lovely to me. Beth really did it right with this one A+

[Edreaiar]

Wet, this is all about the booze.

As it dries, the florals comes out, followed by dirt. These flowers aren't screeching, but nor are they particularly quiet.

The bourbon and rum are still there, but almost immediately lose any alcoholic bite. It sort of ends up a mash of non-alcoholic booze flavors, if that makes sense.

The spanish moss is really strong on me- or something I'm guessing is spanish moss is, anyway. It's green and sort of woody, and eventually kind of takes over on my skin.

This really reminds me of something else, but I can't quite place it.

It's overall a very clean smelling scent, despite the alcohol and greenery. It's not soapy, just clean, comforting, and faintly sweet.

[nameoftherose]

I first got some of this scent on my skin while looking through other imps, so for a long time assumed its distinctive smell was hay absolute. I think some of those associations of dry, clean sweetness are still carrying through for me. In the imp, Jazz Funeral smells very light (and a little green) to me, but I can certainly make out the dirt hiding behind. Once applied, it becomes a clean, airily sweet smell - the kind of sweetness that would carry on a spring breeze. I can't really distinguish separate notes at all here - it seems to be a very light floral with some sugar and the faintest memories of greenery stirred through it. I do agree with some reviewers that there is a gum-like quality to it. I'm interested which aspect of this scent is Spanish moss, although I think I'd love to try it in something that doesn't surround it in floral sweetness. Fully dry, the light florals have disappeared leaving a richer, brighter scent, although it is really rather faint.

 

This is light, uplifting and fresh, but probably not something I would really reach for (maybe in the heat of summer?). I expected it to be a little more dramatic, but on me none of the powerful notes seem to really take centre stage.

 

 

 

Reapplied this to the crook of the arm and the result is very different - all of a sudden I can smell the booziness, with a sharp strong edge of green to it. The clean and light aspects are not here at all. Boozy, mossy and dirty, much more pungent and in line with the theme. I do wonder now how it might behave in a scent locket O.o

[Teaker]

This is such a unique and interesting scent. It's one of those weird scents that I have a soft spot for, even though I never wear it.

 

It smells like fizzy lime candies, but in a natural way. Maybe organic fizzy lime candies? It's bright and joyful, but very earthy, with a clearly discernible dirt note. I have no idea what gives it it's fizzy, bubbly quality. Whatever it is, it makes this fun and uplifting. Very nice!

[DiesMali]

In the imp: Dirt and moss, I think? Flowers.

 

Wet on my skin: Same as in the imp.

 

Dry: It took a little while for this to bloom on my skin, but bloom it did. It's a gorgeous, spicy, earthy scent with magnolia flowers wafting through the air. The moss, dirt, and magnolia are predominant on my skin, and the booze doesn't really smell boozy, but instead spices up the top three notes. I was really not sure about this when I put it on, but it's really quite nice now! It's different enough from the other two "death" scents that I like (Sheol and The Grave-Pig) that I don't mind having this imp floating about at all.

[ziggystardust13]

Wow. This is nostalgic! So many familiar smells going on here...

*Louisiana girl here*

 

The notes hit me in waves. Its the oddest thing. First and foremost I detect the dirt/moss. I love earthy blends so this is not a bad thing! Then I get wafts of white southern florals (magnolia) which adds a little sweetness. I barely detect bpal's rum note (one of my favorite bpal notes), but I know its wavering underneath somewhere. Oh there it is! The boozy note barely lingers for a moment before it disappears again. And I continue to experience the notes unfolding in this way and its so interesting and beautiful! This is one of those bpals that takes me beyond perfume. It's an experience. I am instantly reminded of the reasons I love my home and culture.

 

eta: I love to wear this to bed. Its very calming!

Edited July 1, 2015 by ziggystardust13

[LexieBlom]

Jazz Funeral imp

 

Wet/Bottle - WOAH very floral. Nothing "funeral" about this, just straight potpourri. I was really hoping for more dirt and moss.

 

Wet/Skin (5 minutes) - Floral, slightly soapy. No trace of dirt or moss, the only two reasons I bought this imp.

 

Dry/Skin (30 minutes) - Dollar store soap

 

You were supposed to be the chosen one...

[d0gbones]

In the imp: Fresh, clean florals. Sweet, with a slight hint of dirt.

Wet: Really similar to Deep In Earth, with sort of fruity florals. Not getting the booze though.

Dry: This doesn't change much on me between the bottle and drying. It's like a white version of Deep In Earth. White flowers usually don't work on me at all, but this is fine. It lacks something though, I can;t put my finger on what.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Dirt, florals. A hint of booze. Interesting combo!

 

 

Dry: I don't think I care for Bay Rum, or it doesn't get along with my skin chemistry. It's not playing well with the dirt note on my skin. Too bad! I love the Lab's dirt note, but this blend is not for me.

 

 

Eta: this combo almost smells rancid on me - bleck!

Edited January 25, 2016 by LizziesLuck

[Mermaid-on-Land]

I first get nothing but flowers. Heady, rich, sweet flowers. They actually remind me of the star jasmine growing on my back wall. I love love love the scent of those flowers when I step outside! Eventually I get the bay rum/bourbon notes beginning to come out and add depth and, not quite spice, but tanginess, to the sweet floral notes. I think I can barely pick out the moss and dirt, grounding it a bit. Eventually all that's left is the bay rum. This loses throw pretty fast once the flowers disappear, and by the end of the day it's really faded. I love that initial floral smell and the mixing with the rum, bourbon, moss, and dirt. I might try slathering it on next time to see if that gets it to stay a little longer. Even if it doesn't I really like the scent and I'll definitely use my imp!

[milo]

I'm getting florals here, mainly. Bright, almost fruity florals with something in the background tempering the way that some flowers can be overpowering and too heady. I'm thinking maybe it's the dirt, which is a note that I'm starting to really enjoy. This is quite nice, it reminds me a bit of Eight Petalled Lotus, it's got the same vibe, and is quite calming. Not getting any booze fwiw.

Edited January 9, 2017 by milo

[tauntonlake]

One man's NOPE is another man's OH HELL YEAH! I LOVE this one .. the faint, familiar BPAL dirt note, the booze, the flowers .. you can almost hear the jazz procession. This is New Orleans in a bottle. Just wonderful. A home run.

[achildoftime]

I get very, very sweet fruity notes and florals. I actually think it smells a lot like St. Germain elderflower liqueur. It's sweet and a little boozy, but not overwhelming. It's a very bright scent. I get hardly any moss or dirt at all, which I'm a little sad about since I love those notes. As it is, though, it's perfectly wearable and cheerful.

[dementia_divine]

I have tried this one before, but I neglected to review it. I write a proper review with a fresh imp (and not the aged one I tried previously).

 

In the imp: Dirt, flowers, rum, a bit of sharp bourbon, and a fair amount of moss.

 

Wet: Dirt and heady, sweet florals, backed by some moss. Then the bay rum emerges. I'm not getting the bourbon of doom that I got from Juke Joint, fortunately! After a minute, the moss becomes stronger.

 

Dry: The scent is far less sweet once dry. I'm mostly getting the dirt, moss, florals, and some bay rum, with the dirt and moss being particularly prominent.

 

Hours later, the bay rum dominates over some dirt, moss, and florals.

 

Verdict: I like this a lot more than the first time I tried it and will definitely be keeping my imp.

[LunaGoth]

This started out a bit assertive and almost a little citrus but calmed into what I was imagining to be Spanish Moss as it dried. I didn't seem to detect any of the other notes clearly and didn't get anything boozy (unless it was part of the initial assertiveness I smelt). I can imagine meandering through a Southern cemetery when I sniff this but I'm not sure how much of that is suggestion. It seems to hang very close to the skin, even just after applying it I had to directly sniff my wrist to catch a whiff of it and soon forgot I was even wearing it. An hour after application it has completely disappeared. I'll hang on to my imp but don't see myself investing in a bottle.