Mindi Abair - Forever

Styles: Saxophone, Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:26
Size: 111,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:56) 1. Fine Wine And Vinyl
(3:45) 2. Call Me By Your Name
(5:16) 3. Forever
(3:51) 4. Alive
(4:41) 5. Say It With Love
(4:24) 6. April (Radio Edit)
(3:58) 7. What About Love?
(4:18) 8. Where There's A Woman There's A Way
(4:11) 9. Nothing Ever Hurt Like You
(4:03) 10. Midnight In San Francisco

I recorded this album as the world shut down around us in March 2020. This is a very personal album, and it represents a coming back to myself as a solo artist and feeling the strong sense of knowing who I am and what I stand for. It feels like a chant ... a statement of power, Mindi Abair Forever!”~Mindi Abair https://www.mindiabair.com/

Personnel: Mindi Abair - Vocals, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone

Forever

---

Mindi Abair - Always and Never the Same

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:42
Size: 79,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Good
(3:13)  2. Maybe I
(3:39)  3. Happy
(3:28)  4. Wish I Could
(4:04)  5. True Love
(4:12)  6. First Kiss
(3:29)  7. Free 2000
(4:22)  8. Always and Never the Same
(4:48)  9. Heaven

Born on tour into a musical family, Mindi Abair was playing piano by the age of five. Within three years, she was playing saxophone and writing songs. She made her way through Berklee performing all kinds of music from jazz to rock and R&B. Upon moving back to Los Angeles, Abair started her own band. She also took on session work with artists as diverse as the Gap Band, Adam Sandler, Mandy Moore, John Tesh, Teena Marie, and the Backstreet Boys. During this time, she worked on creating her own sound and released her debut disc in 1999. The Backstreet Boys connection really paid off for her, and her website and CD (entitled Love) took off. The year 2000 saw the release of the follow-up, Always and Never the Same, and shortly thereafter, Abair signed with GRP Records. A sophomore effort, It Just Happens That Way, was issued in 2003. "Lucy's," "Save the Last Dance," and the album's title track went on to impact Top Ten radio. A year later, Abair returned with Come as You Are, her second set produced with her writing partner Matthew Hager. In 2006, Abair released Life Less Ordinary, which featured guest vocals from Lalah Hathaway and Keb' Mo', and also performed at the Governor's Ball, the official Oscars afterparty. The following year, she appeared on guitarist Peter White's (with whom she had performed frequently) Christmas album, but 2008 saw a return to her solo material (and an introduction to Abair as a singer) with Stars. In 2010, Abair delivered the soul-jazz-inspired In Hi-Fi Stereo, which once again featured a mix of instrumental jazz with a few Abair vocal numbers. Abair returned in 2014 with her seventh studio album, Wild Heart, which featured guest spots from Keb' Mo', Joe Perry, Booker T. Jones, and Gregg Allman. It debuted at number one on the jazz album chart, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. In March of 2015, she recorded a live album, Mindi Abair & the Boneshakers: Live in Seattle. Her backing band is actually an all-star, standalone touring and recording unit that includes former Was (Not Was) members Randy Jacobs on guitar and vocalist Sweet Pea Atkinson. The album was released the following September by Concord. ~ Gary Hill https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mindi-abair-mn0000495456/biography 

Always and Never the Same

---

Karrin Allyson Sextet - Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:58)  1. Preamble
(3:17)  2. The March of the Women
(4:40)  3. The Great Convention
(1:38)  4. Susan B. Anthony (1873)
(3:30)  5. I’ll Be No Submissive Wife
(1:34)  6. Frederick Douglass (1888)
(4:11)  7. Anti Suffrage Rose
(2:41)  8. She’s Good Enough To Be Your Baby’s Mother
(1:38)  9. Elihu Root (1894)
(3:48) 10. Columbia’s Daughters
(1:43) 11. Sojourner Truth (1851)
(3:49) 12. The Promised Land
(4:34) 13. Winning the Vote
(1:35) 14. Alice Paul (1921)
(4:18) 15. Way Down Below
(4:57) 16. Big Discount

The Karrin Allyson Sextet releases Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage, a very special and timely album, today to celebrate the centennial of women’s voting rights. In addition to five-time Grammy nominee Karrin Allyson, the sextet also features Ingrid Jensen (trumpet),Mindi Abair (alto saxophone) Helen Sung (piano),Endea Owens (bass), and Allison Miller (drums). Shoulder to Shoulder seeks to re-create the multi-decade debate  warts and all that culminated in the enactment of t he nineteenth amendment. “We want to highlight this significant movement in American history. One that we shouldn’t forget and that is relevant today. It’s also one in which music played an important role,” said Karrin Allyson.

A remarkable artist, Allyson is also an activist who feels equally comfortable on the bandstand, as she does at the podium making the case for women’s rights. In fact, she has a history of writing songs (“Big Discount,” “Way Down Below”) that challenge conventional political wisdom and call for societal change. Most of t hese songs are propaganda. They were composed in the nineteenth or early twentieth century to advance or abridge women’s voting rights. In fact, the “suffrage” repertoire is made up of hundreds of songs, and Allyson and the productio n team selected ones that typified the back -and-f or th debate of t he struggle. That these songs can be re-imagined speaks not only to their timeless quality but the power of music in advancing social movements. The “war” over women’s rights was waged, in part, through and by music. And here these songs are made relevant again through modern jazz. Because of t he theme’s inclusive import, Allyson and the production team invited several notable guests to “lend their voices” to the debate. Adding copious artists can risk turning any project from a cohesive musical statement to a “gathering place.” Alas,Allyson’s powerful and profound vocals provide the through line and beginning-to-end narrative arc of the entire production. This album is very much a story. 

And Allyson is its storyteller, with each guest thoughtfully featured to dramatize historical episodes in the women’s suffrage movement. Shoulder to Shoulder has an incredible array of featured artists. Guest appearances by Madeleine Peyroux (vocals),Kurt Elling (vocals),Regina Carter (violin),Denis e Donatelli (vocals), Veronica Swift (vocals), Rapsody (rap),Antonia Bennett (vocals),Emily Estefan (vocals),Pauline Jean (vocals),Olivia Culpo (cello) and a Choir of over forty Women's Rights Activists. There are several spoken word performances that re-create the debateover woman’s suffrage: Harry Belafonte performs a speech by Frederick Douglass, Rosanne Cash performs a speech by Susan B. Anthony, Julie Swidler performs a speech by Alice Paul,Lalah Hathaway performs a speech by Sojourner Truth, and Peter Eldridge performs a speech by Elihu Root. There is even a brief appearance by Roberta Flack on the album. Susan Morrison of The New Yorker serves as an Executive Producer of the project, which was produced by multi-Grammy winners Kabir Sehgal, John Daversa, and Doug Davis.more..... https://karrin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/S2S-Press-Release.pdf

Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage

---

Mindi Abair - The Best of Mindi Abair

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:51
Size: 183,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:30) 1. Lucy's (Radio Edit)
(3:49) 2. Bloom (Radio Edit)
(3:20) 3. Flirt
(4:23) 4. I'll Be Your Home (feat. Keb' Mo')
(6:18) 5. Imagine
(3:48) 6. Come as You Are
(3:52) 7. Be Beautiful
(4:01) 8. True Love
(4:26) 9. True Blue
(4:08) 10. Wild Heart
(4:01) 11. Seven Day Fool (feat. The Boneshakers)
(5:06) 12. Make It Happen (feat. Booker T. Jones)
(3:19) 13. Haute Sauce (feat. The Boneshakers)
(4:22) 14. Good Day for the Blues (feat. The Boneshakers) [Radio Edit]
(3:59) 15. Pretty Good for a Girl
(5:35) 16. Just Say When (feat. Greg Allman)
(4:28) 17. Smile
(2:54) 18. I Love to Play the Saxophone (feat. The Boneshakers)
(4:24) 19. April (Radio Edit)

During her remarkable 21-year recording career, Mindi Abair has garnered 2 GRAMMY Nominations, recorded with some of the biggest names in music, and built a substantial following among jazz and blues audiences with her soaring melodies and powerhouse style. The Best of Mindi Abair is a 19-song collection of her biggest hits, previously unreleased gems, a few of Mindi’s personal favorites, and her brand-new song “April.” It features a 16-page booklet of personal liner notes written by Mindi, and photos spanning her career drawn from her archive. Smooth jazz hits like “Lucy’s,” “Bloom” and “Come As You Are” appear as radio edits, available here for the first time, so you can listen as you originally fell in love with them on the radio. “Make It Happen,” written and recorded with legendary soul icon Booker T. Jones, has never been released until now.

Other inspired collaborations include “I’ll Be Your Home” featuring Keb’ Mo’, “Just Say When” penned and recorded with Gregg Allman, and her woman-powered blues anthem “Pretty Good For A Girl” featuring guitar hero Joe Bonamassa. Fan favorite “Be Beautiful” checks into the compilation, as does a previously unissued take on the John Lennon classic, “Imagine.” “I Love To Play The Saxophone” and “Good Day For The Blues” hail from her albums as Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers, and the brand-new song, “April,” recorded as the world was shutting down in 2020 rounds out the collection. It brings Mindi's path full circle as it’s an instrumental reminiscent of her classic hits and provides the perfect jumping off point for the next chapter to begin. Follow the arc of Mindi’s unique musical journey with this 19-song collection featuring songs from 11 different albums, 8 unique tracks that have never been available to the public before now, 28 stunning photos, and Mindi telling her story in her own words … a must for any Mindi fan.

The Best of Mindi Abair

---

Dave Koz And Friends - Summer Horns II From A To Z

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:28) 1. Medley: Getaway / That’s The Way (I Like It)
(5:05) 2. More Today Than Yesterday
(4:50) 3. Keep That Same Old Feeling
(5:28) 4. Medley: From A To Z (Take The “A” Train / Make The Road By Walking)
(4:10) 5. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) (feat. Kenny Lattimore & Sheléa)
(4:55) 6. Before I Let Go
(5:09) 7. Late In The Evening (feat. Jonathan Butler)
(4:43) 8. If You Really Love Me
(4:44) 9. Conga (feat. Aubrey Logan & Gloria Estefan)
(5:58) 10. Earth Song
(5:19) 11. Route 66 (feat. Aubrey Logan)

It’s easy to see why Dave Koz wanted to record a part two to his Summer Horns album. Part 1, which dropped in 2013, brought together four of contemporary jazz’s best-known saxophonists Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, and Richard Elliott - to cover tunes from pop and R&B bands that had world famous horn sections. The original Summer Horns featured cuts by Chicago, Tower of Power, Sly and the Family Stone, the Beatles and Earth, Wind & Fire (actually two EW&F songs, since their 1978 cover of the Fab Four’s “Got to Get You Into My Life” served as the inspiration for the track included on Summer Horns.)Summer Horns became a commercial and creative success, earning a Grammy nod, and receiving considerable airplay on terrestrial, satellite and internet radio. The band also spent two years touring following its release. With all that positivity surrounding the original, a sequel could be viewed as an economic necessity. However, the music industry is like a river in that artists never creatively cross twice. It’s been five years since the original Summer Horns dropped, and so it’s not surprising that the four principles were not in the same place.

Changing times presented Koz with an opportunity to make the same type of album different, and he took advantage on Summer Horns II: From A to Z by adding trumpeter Rick Braun and trombonist and vocalist Aubrey Logan to give the brass ensemble a larger and more diverse sound to accompany the returning Albright and Elliott. Summer Horns II also features more vocals from Logan, as well as Kenny Lattimore, Shelea, Gloria Estefan and Jonathan Butler. The addition of trumpet and trombone seemed to inform the album’s musical selections. “This Will Be,” the album’s best track, opens with a honking baritone saxophone and is joined in with the other players giving the track a big band sound. And while the balance of the track plays it pretty close to Natalie Cole’s original, the decision to turn the cut into a duet featuring Lattimore and Shelea pays off, as they transform Cole’s loving soliloquy about the eternal nature of that special love into a swinging yet sensual conversation between two lovers. The horns combine with the African infused percussion, backing vocals and Jonathan Butler’s acoustic guitar work and rangy vocals on the cover of Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening.” Whereas Simon’s vocals were subdued and wry, Butler brings elements of his gospel roots to this soulful rendition. Acoustic bass and the harmonic horn play combine with Logan’s vocals to create a swinging version of “Route 66.” The vocal tracks on Summer Horns II are so strong that I had to wonder if the group missed some opportunities with sticking primarily with instrumentals on several covers. I would love to see what creative arrangements Koz and his crew could have come up with if Lattimore had been turned loose on “More Today than Yesterday,” “Before I Let Go,” or if paired in duet with Estefan (who paired with Logan on a remake of her 1986 hit “Conga”) on “If You Really Love Me.” But, my desire for a few more vocals aside, this is a worthy follow up to the smash original collaboration, and an extremely enjoyable soundtrack to Summer 2018. Recommended. By Howard Dukes https://www.soultracks.com/album-review-dave-koz-summer-horns-II-from-a-to-z

Personnel: Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Gloria Estefan, Jonathan Butler, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot

Summer Horns II From A To Z

---

Greg Manning - The Calling

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:09
Size: 133,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Groovin'
(4:16)  2. Nick of Time
(4:39)  3. The Calling
(4:34)  4. Yeke Yeke Yo
(3:31)  5. After the Rain
(4:01)  6. It's Me
(3:53)  7. Shine a Light
(4:22)  8. Mountain View
(4:10)  9. Wayman
(5:13) 10. Tribal Sphere
(2:32) 11. Coming & Going
(3:43) 12. The Prayer
(4:16) 13. Sunday Morning
(4:53) 14. Home

The convergence of jazz, funk, and soul combined with musical inspiration from artists such as, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock; and features the talents of acclaimed artist Keb'Mo', and smooth jazz artists Kirk Whalum and Mindi Abair. He is the internationality in person. Born in Nigeria Greg Manning grew up in Switzerland. In 2002 he moved to Los Angeles but still keep contact to the land of his youth. So he is a three-time certified platinum producer for Universal Music Switzerland, and has had several Swiss Chart toppers since 1996. Greg worked as musical director with Jonathan Butler and also performed with Brian McKnight, Kirk Whalum, Will Downing, Richard Elliot, Gerald Albright, Chante Moore, Mindi Abair and Keb' Mo' just to mention a few. His debut album Soulciety was released in 1999 and is unfortunately unavailable anymore. By chance I became aware of his new album The Calling, which was released in April 2010. Greg's new album features Mindi Abair, André Berry, Patrick Bettison, Tom Evans, Keb' Mo', Jimmy Reid, Kirk Whalum and Terry Wollman among others. Greg wrote, arranged, mixed and produced all songs except Nick Of Time. The Calling starts with the fulminate Groovin' featuring attractive Mindi Abair in her prominent role as raising sax star. Mindi recently entered the charts with her new album In Hi-Fi Stereo (2010). Also on the party Columbia University graduated jazz vocalist Dawn Norfleet, who we'll certainly see again. Bonnie Raitt wrote Nick Of Time in 1989 for her same-titled album, her personal break-through. With great taste for fine music art Greg chooses this song for featured saxophonist Jimmy Reid. Greg's arrangement has thanks to Jimmy's emotional interpretation and the choir background a real Gospel flavor. The Calling presents Patrick Bettison on chromatic harmonica. If it is the harmonica, the bass or African percussion Patrick always impresses with his personal musical intensity. Yeke Yeke Yo is Greg's orchestral approach with influences of African percussion. Colorful and picturesque. 

On After The Rain guitarist Keb’ Mo', a living blues legend, showcases his bluesy finger style. Greg always tailors a perfect song for each presented musician. On It's Me Greg Manning displays his pleasant-sounding personality. Jimmy Reid, Tom Evans and Greg blend into a fine arrangement. The dynamic Shine A Light reveals another aspect of the musician Greg Manning. He is a supreme vocalist beside his excellent skills as keyboardist and programmer. With the cordial Mountain View Greg walks on the path of Dan Siegel, Jim Brickman and Richard Clayderman. Wayman is Greg's tribute to the late Wayman Tisdale featuring André Berry on lead bass. André plays Wayman's signature slap bass reminding at this great musician. “The guy was always so happy, so positive, always had a smile, always made you feel great,” recently commented Peter White. On Tribal Sphere Greg shows a jazzy excursion into world music and jazz fusion in the style of Joe Zawinul. Excellent sax and keyboard work! With the interlude Coming & Going Greg mirrors his thoughts on solo piano. The romantic ballade The Prayer unites Terry Wollman on acoustic guitar with Greg's piano performance. An awesome melody seamlessly played. The lazy moment of a sunny Sunday, Greg catch this mood in Sunday Morning. Final tune of this brilliant album is Home featuring sax legend Kirk Whalum, who will release a tribute album to Donny Hathaway next month. Greg Manning's The Calling shines brightly. Give this album a listen, it's without no doubt worth to spend some of your precious time. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/gregmanning1

Personnel:  Greg Manning (Keyboards, Piano, Programming, Shakers, Cymbals, Vocals); Mindi Abair (Alto & Soprano Saxophones); Jimmi Reid (Alto Saxophone); Tom Evans (Tenor Saxophone); Kirk Whalum (Tenor Saxophone); Terry Wollman (Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Hand Claps); Keb' Mo' (Acoustic Guitar); Fred Clark (Electric Guitar); Andre Berry (Bass); Hussain Jiffry (Electric Bass); Jamey Tate (Drums); Kevin Moore II (Drums, Percussion Programming); Munyungo Jackson (Percussion); Jan Stevens (Bongos, Hand Claps); Patrick Bettison (Chromatic Harmonica); Dawn Norfleet, Tiffany Smith (Vocals).

The Calling

---

Dave Koz & Friends - Summer Horns

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:11
Size: 126.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Always There
[5:37] 2. Got To Get You Into My Life
[5:06] 3. Rise
[4:37] 4. So Very Hard To Go
[4:26] 5. Hot Fun In The Summertime
[4:10] 6. Take 5
[4:46] 7. 25 Or 6 To 4
[4:44] 8. Reasons
[4:14] 9. I Got You (I Feel Good)
[3:44] 10. You Haven’t Done Nothin’
[5:43] 11. God Bless The Child
[3:56] 12. Summer Horns

Nine-time GRAMMY® nominee Dave Koz remembers a time when the summers lasted forever, and the most popular rock, R&B, soul and funk bands of the day were propelled by high-octane, richly arranged horn sections. Indeed, from the late 1960s through the ‘70s, bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears and other brassy juggernauts of the era ruled the airwaves and opened his young ears to the saxophone’s limitless possibilities as a solo instrument as well as a collaborative voice with the trumpet and trombone.

Four decades later, Koz has assembled three of his most talented and trusted colleagues – Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot and Mindi Abair – to revisit this golden age with new arrangements of classic songs from this period in the history of popular music. Dave Koz and Friends Summer Horns, produced by Paul Brown (Al Jarreau, George Benson, June Tabor, Boney James), is a collaborative effort that throws the spotlight on four high-profile saxophonists, and augments the team with several other equally talented musicians and vocalists. Summer Horns, released on June 11, 2013 on Concord Records, turns up the heat just in time for the summer tour season.

Summer Horns mc
Summer Horns zippy

---

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

---

Mindi Abair - Stars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:28

Size: 101.8 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz, Smooth jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Smile

[4:15] 2. On And On

[4:12] 3. Out Of The Blue

[3:58] 4. Stars

[4:31] 5. F.L.A. Swing

[3:43] 6. I Wonder

[3:40] 7. Gingerbread Man

[4:20] 8. Change

[3:13] 9. Mojo

[4:12] 10. Here For You

[3:53] 11. Gonna Be Alright

On one of 2008's most popular and dynamic urban contemporary jazz releases, the popular saxophonist made certain to live up to the lofty title of her previous outing, Life Less Ordinary. Aiming for those Stars, she expanded on the vocalizing she did on her earlier outings and wrote a batch of infectious songs that showcased her attractive vocals like never before. Five tracks -- nearly half the disc -- are adult contemporary pop songs that fit comfortably on the charts alongside John Mayer, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Sara Bareilles. It may have seemed risky to push the envelope after scoring a number one album, but her instrumental hits always showed that she was a popster at heart. Helping Abair and her guitarist/producer Matthew Hager realize her creative "outside the box" approach is a choice group of stalwarts from the pop world: keyboardist Ricky Peterson, drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr., and Richard Dodd, cello player for the Foo Fighters. With the media so immersed in reflecting the ongoing despair and difficulties of life around the globe in the 2000s, Abair's ultimate goal with her five vocal tracks is to bring light to the darkness, an unapologetic, optimistic sense of hope and idealism. Case in point: the lilting folk-pop tune "Change," written with frequent collaborator Tyrone Stevens, says that change is the one thing we can count on, and also the concept that can bring us all together. On the power pop title track ballad, she looks to the "Stars" as a connective thread between lovers who are far apart in physical distance. The Elton John/Lionel Richie-influenced "On and On" reflects wistfully on the innocence of her small-town youth (in St. Petersburg, FL) and the way music has become an integral spiritual part of so many people's lives. Her heartfelt, keyboard-driven anthem "I Wonder" is her generation's twist on the concept of "Imagine," while "Here for You" is an uplifting, autobiographical old-school soul-blues ballad that chronicles her incredible years-long friendship with Hager. These are smartly balanced by instrumentals that range from light and jangling ("Smile") to edgy, bluesy, and funky ("F.L.A. Swing"). ~Jonathan Widran

Stars

---

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

---

Mindi Abair - Wild Heart

Size: 114,4 MB
Time: 49:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz, Pop/Rock, Soul
Art: Front

01. Amazing Game (With Tronbone Shorty) (4:20)
02. I Can't Lose (3:34)
03. Wild Heart (4:06)
04. Haute Sauce (3:16)
05. Train (3:26)
06. Kick Ass (5:36)
07. I'll Be Your Home (With Keb' Mo') (4:17)
08. The Shakedown (With Max Weinberg & Waddy Watchel) (3:48)
09. Kiddo's Revenge (4:25)
10. Addicted To You (With Booker T. Jones) (6:45)
11. Just Say When (With Gregg Allman) (5:32)

Mindi Abair is one of the most recognizable saxophonists on the music scene today. In addition to great solo albums over the years, she has been seen on American Idol as well as joining Aerosmith on their US tour over the past 2 years. Her new solo album will feature guests; Booker T, Greg Allman, Joe Perry, Keb Mo and Waddy Wachtel to name a few. As the guest list would suggest, this album plays on her jazz roots while expanding into a horn based pop/soul sound.

Wild Heart

---