Boney James - Detour

Styles: Smooth Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:35
Size: 93,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:08) 1. Detour
(3:36) 2. Bring It Back
(3:53) 3. Sway
(4:07) 4. Memphis
(4:05) 5. Tribute
(3:40) 6. Coastin’ (feat. Lalah Hathway)
(3:53) 7. The Loop
(4:34) 8. Northern Lights
(3:47) 9. Intention
(4:47) 10. Blur

Four-time GRAMMY nominee, multiplatinum-selling saxophonist Boney James' new album, Detour, marks his 18th release as a leader. Following the success of his 2020 album, Solid (#1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart, #10 Billboard Top Albums Chart), Boney's new record showcases 10 original tracks including "Coastin'" featuring iconic vocalist Lalah Hathaway. Also featured is trumpeter Dontae Winslow, known for his work with the West Coast Get Down.

The new 10-song collection is a subtle stylistic turn that builds on the commercial success of 2020’s Solid, James’ highest charting release ever on the pop charts, peaking in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

Featuring vocals from 5-time Grammy winner Lalah Hathway, Detour was recorded largely at Boney’s L.A. home studio (live drums and percussion were tracked at venerable Sunset Sound). The album was produced by Boney with co-production from in-demand writer/producer, Jairus “J-Mo” Mozee (Anderson.Paak, Nicki Minaj, Anthony Hamilton) among others. Additional musicians on the album are keyboardist Tim Carmon (Eric Clapton), longtime drummer Omari Williams and bassist Alex Al, renowned percussionist Lenny Castro and guitarists Big Mike Hart and Paul Jackson Jr.

During his 30-year career, Boney James has released a staggering 18 studio albums – including a pair of Christmas records -with 1995’s Seduction, 1997’s Sweet Thing and 1999’s Body Language all RIAA certified gold. In 2015, Boney’s futuresoul spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and was the best-selling Contemporary Jazz Record of 2015. Boney has earned four Grammy nominations (“I’m not gonna lie… I’d still love a statue,” he says), two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Soul Train Award, while a dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart. His collaborators in the past include a Who’s Who of R&B and soul: Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benét, Dave Hollister, Stokley Williams, Kenny Lattimore and Angie Stone. http://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2022/08/boney-james-to-release-18th-new-album-detour/ 

“We’ve all been on a detour these last few years,” says Boney. “This album reflects how my music and I have been affected by the times we’re in.”

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Producer – Boney James;Bass – Alex Al; Drums – Omari Williams; Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.; Percussion – Lenny Castro; Piano – Tim Carmon; Trumpet – Dontae Winslow; Vocals – Lalah Hathaway

Detour

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Joe Sample & Lalah Hathaway - The Song Lives On

Size: 130.5 MB
Time: 56:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

(5:10) 1. The Song Lives On
(5:40) 2. Fever
(5:12) 3. Come Along With Me
(4:45) 4. Living in Blue
(5:48) 5. Street Life
(5:44) 6. When You Life Was Low
(5:42) 7. One Day I'll Fly Away
(4:31) 8. When The World Turns Blue
(5:14) 9. For All We Know
(4:00)10. Bitter Street
(4:57)11. A Long Way From Home

Joe Sample's latest release, The Song Lives On , is appropriately titled. One of the CD's finest attributes is the excellent song selection. The Peggy Lee classic "Fever" is tastefully covered here, and Sample's own "Street Life" is reprised again, but the remainder of the program is new, at least to my ears. Most of the tunes establish an emotional connection with the listener; they're beautiful, pensive, soulful, and often introspective. Titles such as "Living in Blue," "When Your Life Was Low," "When the World Turns Blue," and "Bitter Sweet" convey this theme. Vocalist Lalah Hathaway delivers heartfelt, expressive interpretations on over half of the program. She is a talent I'm looking forward to hearing more of in the future. Joe Sample, as usual, shines on piano with thoughtful, expressive, and sometimes understated solos. The entire CD abounds with good taste and class. ~ Dave Hughes
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5238#.UwTnhIVQE9c

Personnel: Joe Sample, piano and Fender Rhodes; Lalah Hathaway, vocals; Kirk Whalum, sax; David Delhomme, synthesizers; Michael Thompson, electric guitar; Jay Anderson, bass; Walfredo Reyes Jr., drums; Lenny Castro, percussion.

The Song Lives On

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Lalah Hathaway - Lalah Hathaway Live!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:45
Size: 181,5 MB
Art: Front

( 3:45)  1. Little Ghetto Boy
( 3:21)  2. Baby Don't Cry
( 8:01)  3. I'm Coming Back
( 4:29)  4. You Were Meant For Me
( 5:42)  5. Angel
( 3:01)  6. These Are The Things
( 6:19)  7. Little Girl / Breathe
( 5:12)  8. This Is Your Life
( 7:03)  9. When Your Life Was Low
(11:14) 10. Forever, For Always, For Love
( 7:20) 11. Lean On Me
( 3:53) 12. Mirror
( 5:45) 13. Brand New (Bonus Track)
( 3:35) 14. Whatever (Bonus Track)

Following the release of Where It All Begins, her sixth album, as well as subsequent appearances on recordings by a few other artists, Lalah Hathaway received some long overdue recognition. A live recording with Snarky Puppy  a stupefying update of Brenda Russell's "It's Something," a song she previously covered on her 1990 debut won the 2014 Grammy for Best R&B Performance. The following year, due to her lead on Robert Glasper Experiment's interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children of America," she accepted a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. The second award could not have been too dusty on April 21, 2015, the night Hathaway and her band played West Hollywood's Troubadour, where her father Donny recorded his 1972-released set of the same title. (Clever touch: copies of the albums can be placed beside one another to make it appear as if two generations of soul royalty are singing to one another.) Like her father's album, Lalah's includes a performance of "Little Ghetto Boy," and the faithful version here opens a set that easily bounces from point to point in her discography. Among the standouts are the consecutive "Baby Don't Cry" and "I'm Coming Back," both originally recorded for Lalah Hathaway, and an 11-minute version of Luther Vandross' "Forever, for Always, for Love" that best displays the increased depth and richness of Hathaway's voice. The singer also does well by Anita Baker with a fine version of the Top Five R&B classic "Angel," a song she has performed both for and with Baker. Topped off with a pair of new, high-quality studio cuts that help fill the compact disc edition to capacity, this is essential for Hathaway fans. ~ Andy Kellman https://www.allmusic.com/album/lalah-hathaway-live-mw0002880847

Lalah Hathaway Live!

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Pete Escovedo - Flying South

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:45
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:37)  1. Flying South (intro)
(6:33)  2. Flying South
(5:42)  3. All This Love
(3:35)  4. Cabo Frio
(5:34)  5. Tiemblas
(3:38)  6. Flying Easy
(7:24)  7. Still Life
(4:56)  8. Esta Noche
(4:52)  9. Como Rien
(5:08) 10. Leyte
(1:17) 11. Canto Para Chango
(4:25) 12. El Alma De Carnival

An active force in Latin jazz since the '60s, Pete Escovedo is well-known in the San Francisco Bay area; not only as a seasoned percussionist and bandleader, but as the musical and spiritual head of the Familia Escovedo. His brother is fellow musician Coke Escovedo, and his children and relatives include percussionist/vocalist Sheila E., producer/bandleader/percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo, and Texas-based singer/songwriter Alejandro Escovedo. Flying South, a 1996 release, continues Escovedo's exploration of the musical region where Latin jazz, salsa, and pop meet. Featuring contributions from George Duke, Andy Narrell, and Najee, highlights include the title track, "Tiemblas," and a Cal Tjader composition, "Leyte." For fans of Koinania, Alex Acuna & the Unknowns, and pop/jazz/Latin crossover, this disc is a worthwhile buy. ~ Gregg Juke https://www.allmusic.com/album/flying-south-mw0000180346

Personnel: Pete Escovedo (vocals, drums, congas, bongos, guiro, timbales, percussion, bells); John Santos (vocals, shekere, percussion); Lalah Hathaway, Nikita Germaine, Pastiche (vocals); Ray Obiedo (guitar, piano); David Yamasaki (guitar); Melecio Magdaluyo (flute, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Najee (flute, soprano saxophone); Norbert Satchel, Norbert Stachel (flute); Gerald Albright (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Robbie Kwock, Robbie Kowck, Louis Fasman (trumpet, flugelhorn); Wayne Wallace (trombone, keyboards); Dave Gregoric, Jeff Cressman, Marty Wehner (trombone); George Duke, Murray Low (piano, keyboards); David Matthews , Rebeca Mauleón (piano); Sheila E., Sheila Escovedo (drums, congas, shekere, percussion); Francisco Aguabella (drums, percussion); Paul van Wageningen (drums); Juan Escovedo (congas, bongos, percussion); Juanita Escovedo (guiro, percussion); Andy Narell (steel drum, steel pan); Brittney Escovedo, Mom Escovedo, Pops Escovedo (percussion).

Flying South

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Marcus Miller - Marcus

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:32
Size: 161.5 MB
Styles: Funk-jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Blast
[5:10] 2. Funk Joint
[5:00] 3. Free
[5:10] 4. Higher Ground
[5:36] 5. Milky Way
[3:17] 6. Pluck
[4:40] 7. Lost Without U
[3:11] 8. 'cause I Want You
[3:57] 9. Ooh
[5:23] 10. When I Fall In Love
[5:39] 11. Strum
[6:13] 12. Jean Pierre
[5:57] 13. What Is Hip
[5:31] 14. Lost Without U (Spoken Word)

Concord Jazz presents Marcus, the album from critically-acclaimed and Grammy-winning artist Marcus Miller. The album, which is Marcus' seventh solo release, features guest appearances by Corinne Bailey Rae, Lalah Hathaway, Keb' Mo' and more, including Taraji P. Henson, the actress who leant her vocals to the Oscar winning song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" from the film Hustle and Flow. The 13-track album finds Marcus serving up his own signature Funk-Jazz music and sees him cover some classics including Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", Miles Davis' "Jean Pierre" and Tower of Power's "What is Hip?". Marcus also features two covers of the Robin Thicke 2007 hit "Lost Without You". The first sees Lalah Hathaway shining on vocals with Marcus' bass upfront and the second version, which is the album's bonus track.

Marcus is the Concord debut for this Grammy winning artist. Features guest vocalists Corinne Bailey Rae, Keb' Mo', Shihan the Poet, Taraji Henson [bonus track], & Lalah Hathaway. Marcus has scored over 20 movies including Boomerang and This Christmas. He was also responsible for writing the party song "Da Butt" for Spike Lee's film School Daze and has scored music for Chris Rock's hit TV show Everybody Hates Chris

Marcus mc
Marcus zippy

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Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:37
Size: 131.9 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary R&B, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:32] 1. Radio Song
[5:33] 2. Cinnamon Tree
[4:32] 3. Crowned & Kissed
[1:53] 4. Land Of The Free
[5:14] 5. Black Gold (Special Guest Algebra Blessett)
[4:40] 6. I Can't Help It
[3:40] 7. Hold On Me
[5:47] 8. Vague Suspicions
[6:35] 9. Endangered Species
[4:19] 10. Let Her
[4:32] 11. City Of Roses
[4:16] 12. Smile Like That

Esperanza Spalding's fourth album, Radio Music Society (a companion piece to Chamber Music Society in name only) is one of enormous ambition -- polished production, sophisticated, busy charts, and classy songwriting -- that consciously juxtaposes neo-soul and adult-oriented jazz-tinged pop. It employs a stellar cast, largely of jazz musicians, to pull it off. She produced the set, with help from Q-Tip on a couple of numbers, and wrote all but two songs here: a cover of "I Can't Help It" (a Michael Jackson cover written by Stevie Wonder) and Wayne Shorter's "Endangered Species." There are truckloads of players, including three different all-star drummers in Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Hart, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and guitarists Jef Lee Johnson and Lionel Loueke on "Black Gold" (which also contains his vocals and an appearance by the Savannah Children's Choir). Though Ms. Spalding takes most lead vocals, there are also duet appearances from Lalah Hathaway and Algebra Blessett. Backing vocalists include Gretchen Parlato (who also anchors a chorus on several tunes) and Leni Stern. The American Music Program horn section appears on three cuts. The highlights here include "Crowned & Kissed" (a Q-Tip co-production) with its rubbery bassline, contrapuntal horns, Leo Genovese's artful pianism, and Carrington's impeccable sense of swing that bridges funk, neo-soul, jazz, and hip-hop. "Radio Song" contains layered interpolated rhythms (again courtesy of Carrington), sparkling Rhodes piano, syncopated horns and backing chorus, Spalding's alto croon, and a taut, popping bassline. Lovano's saxophone adds a truly elegant and graceful dimension to "I Can't Help It." The charts on Shorter's tune (with lyrics by Spalding) illuminate what may have been the composer's intent all along -- and nod at Pastorius-era Weather Report simultaneously. DeJohnette's funky subtlety drives the knotty fingerpop of "Let Her," and Hart's trademark, shimmering cymbal work on "Hold on Me" complements Spalding's sultry vocal in retro bluesy pop -- it's one of only a couple of places on the record where she plays acoustic bass. While Radio Music Society may play better to younger pop audiences than more die-hard jazzheads, this program is so diverse and well executed -- despite a little overreaching -- it's anybody's guess. ~Thom Jurek

Radio Music Society mc
Radio Music Society zippy

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Lalah Hathaway - Lalah Hathaway

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:04
Size: 103,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Somethin'
(5:17)  2. Heaven Knows
(4:04)  3. Baby Don't Cry
(4:55)  4. Smile
(3:28)  5. U-Godit Gowin' On
(5:37)  6. I'm Coming Back
(4:16)  7. Stay Home Tonight
(4:46)  8. I Gotta Move On
(3:42)  9. Sentimental
(5:16) 10. Obvious

When Lalah Hathaway's self-titled debut album came out in 1990, there was reason to believe that she might evolve into one of the top female R&B singers of the 1990s. Donny Hathaway's daughter certainly had a lot going for her not only a big vocal range, but also plenty of charisma, passion, and charm to go with it. The material on this CD ranges from excellent to routine, depending on who's writing and/or producing a particular song. Hathaway doesn't always have fantastic material to work with, but when she does, the results are quite memorable. The producers/songwriters who really do Hathaway justice include Angela Winbush on "Baby, Don't Cry" and "I Gotta Move On," and Andre Fisher on "Smile" and "Somethin'." While those selections come across as personal, Hathaway slips into a routine, less-than-memorable urban contemporary grind thanks to Chuckii Booker on "Sentimental," and Craig T. Cooper on "Obvious" and "U-Godit Gowin On." Again, not everything on the album is a gem. But when Hathaway had strong material to work with, it was clear that she had a lot of potential. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/lalah-hathaway-mw0000689967

Lalah Hathaway

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Lalah Hathaway - Outrun the Sky

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:03
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. How Many Times
(4:49)  2. Back Then
(4:07)  3. Your Favorite Song
(5:52)  4. Forever, For Always, For Love
(4:04)  5. Better And Better
(3:06)  6. Outrun The Sky
(4:15)  7. If U Ever
(3:48)  8. In The End
(5:34)  9. Admit It
(5:47) 10. Stronger
(8:10) 11. We Were 2
(5:10) 12. More
(5:37) 13. Boston

Few mainstream artists can keep the lazy release schedule Don Hathaway's daughter does and retain a strong fan base. It's been a whole decade since Lalah Hathaway released one of her own albums and half that long since she joined Joe Sample for The Song Lives On. It's her warm voice, smooth delivery, and allegiance to fad-free R&B that keeps the faithful patiently waiting. Delivering on all counts, Outrun the Sky is a fan's dream and the singer's best showcase since her debut. While The Song Lives On was more ambitious and in turn brought more fans, Outrun the Sky is a better showcase. Not only does Hathaway cover a wider spectrum of tones and moods but she also producers and writes most of the highlights of the album. Her stream-of-consciousness lyrics for the title track give a more personal picture of the artist and paint her as an approachable dreamer who's as unsure as anyone. Hathaway's inspired writing is responsible for many of the other warm and reflective winners but it's the closing "Boston" that best illustrates how this husky voiced siren can conjure up a cosmopolitan song and deliver it with heart. Including her smoky take on Luther Vandross' "Forever, for Always, for Love" from the Forever, for Always, for Luther tribute is the icing on this cool cake. The ballad-heavy album still has its fair share of grooves that are rooted in R&B but the overall easy temperament isn't going to alienate any of Hathaway's smooth jazz converts. Nice to have her back; here's to a shorter wait next time. ~ David Jeffries http://www.allmusic.com/album/outrun-the-sky-mw0000301005

Personnel: Lalah Hathaway (background vocals); Lalah Hathaway (vocals); Mike City (various instruments); Chris Parks (guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drum programming); Jubu Smith, John Jubu Smith, Ray Fuller, Eric Walls (guitar); Lee Thornburg (trumpet); Nick Lane (trombone); Rex Rideout (keyboards, programming); Michael White , Michael White (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion); Jenny Douglas McRea, Vivian Sessoms, Kenya Hathaway (background vocals); David Delhomme (guitar, keyboards); Brandon Fields (saxophone); Tim Carmon (Fender Rhodes piano, organ); Poogie Bell (drums); Ricky Rodriguez (percussion).

Outrun the Sky

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Mindi Abair - In Hi-Fi Stereo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:21
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Any Way You Wanna
(3:29)  2. All Star
(4:25)  3. L'Espirit Nouveau
(3:24)  4. Get Right (feat. Ryan Collins)
(3:52)  5. Be Beautiful (feat. David Ryan Harris)
(4:09)  6. Down For The Count
(4:04)  7. Girl's Night Out
(4:19)  8. Let The Whole World Know (Sing Your Song)
(6:10)  9. It's A Man's Man's Man's World (feat. Lalah Hathaway)
(4:41) 10. Take Me Home
(4:51) 11. The Alley

As soul music has vanished from urban radio, driven out by the predominance of rap, hip-hop and Auto Tune, it's become harder to find real soul made with real instruments, either on record or on the airwaves. A Mindi Abair album is not the go-to place that comes to mind for a showcase of old school soul and bluesy funk. Abair has carved out a niche as a capable, if not always inspired, smooth jazz saxophonist, cut from the cloth of her contemporaries Kenny G, Richard Elliot and others, whom occasionally dip a toe into R&B, but never totally immerse themselves in the idiom. Once again, the danger of making assumptions is proven, because with In Hi-Fi Stereo Abair takes the plunge headfirst into the deep end of soul-infused jazz. Equal parts homage to the music of David Sanborn, Hank Crawford and The Crusaders offer a testimony of her own artistic growth. Abair makes a declarative statement that she is a formidable talent who can do far more than smooth jazz noodling.

Abair shoots for a more organic feel than her often overly slick previous work, achieving a funkier feel, alongside producer Rex Rideout, by employing Rhodes electric piano, Wurlitzer and B3 organs, and even an ARP synth on "Take Me Home." Another masterstroke was utilizing soul music veterans, drummer Gadson and bassist Reggie McBride, as the rhythm section for most of the album.  On Stars (Peak, 2008), Abair split duties between saxophone and singing. The improvement here is that she focuses almost exclusively on saxophone, and wisely selects vocalists better suited to the material rather than stretch her own thin voice. This choice allows Abair to play to her strength as a far more accomplished saxophonist than vocalist. "Get Right" and "Be Beautiful" are a pair of soul/funk workouts, featuring vocals by Ryan Collins and David Ryan Harris respectively. Abair is content to support the vocals instead of competing with them for prominence. Lalah Hathaway's turn on the instantly familiar, but slightly sexist James Brown classic, "It's A Man, Man's World" is initially jarring. Abair has long wanted to work with her fellow Berklee alumnus, and this bluesy outing was the perfect opportunity to do so. Abair's sparkling alto sax dukes it out with Hathaway's swaggering vocal turn in a bold, audacious and totally unexpected way. And it all works perfectly. The best thing about In Hi-Fi Stereo is that it doesn't sound anything like what a Mindi Abair album is supposed to sound like. That may seem like a backhanded compliment, but it's not. It's more a recognition of how Abair has blossomed as an artist. Whether this signals a new course in Abair's career or if this is merely a sentimental romp, who can say? Either way, it's a good sign. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-hi-fi-stereo-mindi-abair-heads-up-international-review-by-jeff-winbush.php

Personnel: Mindi Abair: alto saxophone, vocals, horn arrangement; James E. Gadson: drums (1-4, 7-10); Reggie McBride: bass (1-4) (6-11); Randy Jacobs: electric and acoustic guitar (1-4, 7-10); Stephen "Stevo" Theard: arrangement, keyboards 1, 6, 10); Rex Rideout: Wurtlizer, keyboards, piano, programming (1, 3, 5-11); Casssandra O'Neal: B3 organ (2, 3, 8,9) ; Lee Thornberg: trumpet and trombone (2, 8, 9); Dave Woodford: tenor and baritone saxophone (2, 8); Bud Harner: ride cymbal (3); Ryan Collins: lead and background vocals (4); David Ryan Harris: guitar, vocals (5); Smitty Smith: bass (5); Michael White: drums (5); Dewayne Swan: B3 organ (5); Jamey Tate: drums (6, 11); Jay Gore: electric guitar (6, 11); Rodney Lee: Wurlitzer solo (6), B3 organ solo (11); Jessi Collins: background vocals; Lalah Hathaway: vocals and background vocals (9); Phil Parlapiano: Rhodes, Arp keyboard, organ (10), Lance Abair: B3 organ (11).

In Hi-Fi Stereo

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Chris Minh Doky - Minh

Styles: Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. I Told You So
(4:09)  2. Every Breath You Take
(0:12)  3. Welcome
(2:49)  4. Waiting On You (jungle vibe)
(5:06)  5. Sleepless Dream
(0:04)  6. Chhaya
(5:39)  7. Lean On Me
(4:56)  8. I Just Wanna Stop
(4:52)  9. A New Day
(0:09) 10. Ken & Mai
(5:39) 11. It Once Was
(3:44) 12. Mardi Chez Lionel
(0:28) 13. Messages
(5:42) 14. Home Sweet Home
(0:19) 15. New York City
(5:02) 16. Dont Get Funny With My Money

One can call Chris Min Doky an international musician. Born in Denmark as the son of a Danish pop singer and a Vietnamese guitarist he got his talent on a natural way. In 1989 at age 18 he moved to New York, where he soon had the opportunity to start his career as bassist and to record his debut album Appreciation followed by The Sequel (1990) and Letters (1991) on Storyville Records. His specialty was mixing jazz and rock. Signed by Blue Note Records he released Doky Brothers (1995), Doky Brothers 2 (1996), with his elder brother, the jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky, and Minh (1998). Chris comments about Minh: "I wanted to do something totally different than what I had been doing with Doky Brothers. I was ready to do something more funky, more edgy, less polite. 

I wanted to record an album that told the story of who, and where, I was at the time. What better way to do that, than invite all your friends an have a party?" Guest musicians on Minh are the Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn, Mike Stern, Lenny White and many more celebrities.  Minh offers a great variety of styles from jazz to Pop and R&B. Fusion jazz on I Told You So and Waiting On You is searching the musical borders of all musicians. You find delighting songs like Every Breath You Take and Lean On Me interpreted by Lalah Hathaway. In spite of the fact that merging of fusion jazz and R&B on the same album is a risky endeavor Chris finds the right balance between the genres. This album was released in 1998, a time when smooth jazz in USA had its first ascendancy. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/starportrait/Doky/Retrospective.htm

Personnel:  Chris Minh Doky (Bass);  Michael Brecker (Tenor Saxophone);   David Sanborn (Alto Saxophone);  Randy Brecker (Trumpet);  Ricky Peterson, Joey Calderazzo, Chris Parks, Larry Goldings, Lasse Janson, Jim Beard (keyboards, Piano);  Paul Peterson, Louis Winsberg, Chris Parks,Joe Caro, Mike Stern, David Gilmore, Hiram Bullock (Guitars);  Michael Bland, Paul Peterson, Lenny White, Adam Nussbaum, Alex Riel (Drums);  Dianne Reeves, Vivian Sessoms, Lalah Hathaway,Randy Brecker (Lead Vocals);  Kayoko Suzuki Lange (Voice)

Minh

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Mindi Abair - Life Less Ordinary

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:38
Size: 103,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. Do You Miss Me?
(4:21)  2. Long Ride Home
(4:11)  3. It Must Be Love
(5:13)  4. The Joint
(5:13)  5. Rain
(4:26)  6. True Blue
(3:43)  7. Slinky
(3:45)  8. Ordinary Love
(4:45)  9. Bloom
(4:39) 10. Far Away

Mindi Abair has been a force in pop and jazz since she moved to Los Angeles. When she signed to GRP she really made her mark as a solo artist. Life Less Ordinary is her fourth recording under her own name since 1999. She has toured tirelessly, played on dozens of sessions, and been a regular on smooth jazz radio and pop stations. Life Less Ordinary is the most diverse things she's issued. There's the taut, sheeny groove jazz she's become famous for on the funky opener "Do You Miss Me," with a vocal chorus and trippy keyboards and programming by producer Michael Hager. "Long Ride Home" is the album's standout track. One can plainly hear the influence of David Sanborn, Tom Scott, and Michael Brecker on her playing. It's a simple vamp that gives way to a slippery chorus. It's more a song than a jazz jam. The piece is tightly composed and arranged, and its groove is undeniable especially in the multi-tracked saxophones. The album's first surprise happens in her cover of Rickie Lee Jones' "It Must Be Love," from her Magazine album. 

Abair's treatment makes it sound like it came off a slick Nashville country version of Ghostyhead! With programmed loops by Hager, very hushed and nocturnal. Abair apes Jones' vocal  including her phrasing -- but she doesn't have the voice and sounds flat. Michael Landau's guitar playing is utterly tasteful and beautiful and Keb Mo's brief dobro solo are the strongest parts of the cut, though Lalah Hathaway's backing vocals are fine as well and steal the show from Abair. "The Joint" is solid; a tough, blues-influenced groove which, with muddier production, could have appeared on a Blue Note soul-jazz record from the late '60s, or one of the Crusaders early sides with Larry Carlton. "Slinky"'s fractured, slow, sexy funk is in-the-pocket and backbone-slipping. 

"Ordinary Love," along with the Jones' tune  both attempts at singles is simply awful. The melody, with its Latin undertones, is nowhere, and the vocal would be forgettable if it weren't so in-your-face bad. "Bloom" should have been the album's closer with its infectious, sing-able lyricism and its euphoric choruses and bridge, but the semi-orchestral "Far Away" (not Carole King's tune) gets that honor, and it's a fine piece of new age jazz if that's what moves you. In all, there are great moments here. Abair has a great funky jazz record in her somewhere, but she, her manager, or her producers need to reign her in. She is aware of her strengths, it seems, but not her weaknesses.~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/life-less-ordinary-mw0000348570.

Personnel: Mindi Abair (vocals, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, keyboards); Michael Landau (guitar); Matthew Hager (guitars, keyboards, bass instrument, percussion, drum programming); Keb' Mo' (dobro); Ricky Petersen (piano, organ); Stevo Theard (keyboards, drum programming); Larry Klein, Stan Sargeant (bass instrument); John "J.R." Robinson (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Lalah Hathaway (background vocals).

Life Less Ordinary

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