Is it Smooth Jazz? Is it pop? Is it contemporary R&B? A little bit of all of the above, which used to be called way back when “adult album oriented music.” Polished, accessible, but made for grown up ears.
Joe Sample made a big name for himself as a charter member of the Crusaders, as well as forging an impressive solo career with albums like Carmel. Here he teams up with the buffed, but not over polished, voice of Randy Crawford and along with Steve Gadd/dr and Niklas Smple/b mixes radio friendly hits like “Street Life” and “When Your Life Was Low” with some chestnuts like “Rainy Night in Georgia.” Crawford’s voice has a tender vibrato, which she uses well on the upbeat gospel inflected “Feeling Good” as well as the Basie-arranged take of “Every Day I Have The Blues.”Her friendly voice is disarming on “No Regrets, “ as well as able to be stark on “Almaz.” Catchy and easy on the ears.
Project Grand Slam consists of Robert Miller/b, Gilad Ronen woodwinds, and Ron Thaler/dr along with guests Mike Eckroth/key, Joye Hennessey/voc, Danny Lerman/as and Justin Smith/strings. There are nine songs compacted into just over 30 minutes of music, so the tunes are tight, concise and to the point. Catchy pieces like “Spring Dance” have rollicking grooves, while gentle ballads such as “The Turn” include well crafted and short solos framed by punchy refrains. “Ma peite Fleur” includes some gorgeous soprano sax work by Ronen, while the 70s pop hit “He Ain’t Heavy” includes some warm vocals by Hennessey. Great music for getting an outdoor party started.
Pianist/composer Kevin Toney fronts a trio with Michael Bradford/b and Chris Coleman/dr that gives homage to American music, melding jazz with classical and touches of the traditional church picnic. Gospel tunes like “Family Times” and the rhapsodic “In God We Trust” touch a nerve that evoke patriotism and faith, while the upbeat “Love Is All We Need” and shuffling beat of “E Pluribus Unum” mix American ideals with steady beats. The lyrical “New American Suite” will make you proud to live in this land of free, while the musicians themselves serve the music like true patriots. Good for the heart.
PRA Records
Cakewalk Records
K Tone Enterprises