I always have a soft spot for male vocalists, as they seem outnumbered by the ladies by about 10:1 in terms of albums released. Louisiana-stationed Roderick Harper has a warm, relaxed and comfortable voice, sort of in the line of Boz Scaggs or Michael Franks, as he mixes up modern pieces in a fragrant smorgasbord of tunes. His romantic baritone works with a working team of Gerald Watkins-Jamison Ross-Geoff Clapp/dr, Oscar Rossignoli-Ellis Marsalis-Jesse Davis, Robin Sherman-Roland Guerin/b in rotation along with guests such as Donald Harrison on the patient post bopper “Infinite Heart”,. With strings, he gets personal in delivery on “Never Let Me Go” and the cozy read of “In Summer (Estate)”. He swerves around Shermans bass on the flexible “Valsa Mineira” and hip “Sack Full Of Dreams” with a wanderlust tribute to his local haunts on “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?”. Lots to like about this guy; get him on the road!