Over the preceding 15 years, the veteran keyboardist Brian Simpson worked with some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz (Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Larry Carlton, Gerald Albright) and even did a tour with Janet Jackson. His second solo album (and first in a decade) clearly shows that hes absorbed the best pop, R&B/funk, and jazz instincts of everyone hes worked with — and should quickly catapult him to the forefront of current smooth jazz keyboard icons, alongside Joe McBride and Brian Culbertson. From the get-go, hes in the playful commercial pocket, the exuberant, blues-tinged title track bouncing along with the help of Rendezvous Music co-founder Dave Koz (whom Simpson has also toured with for ten years). This kind of spirited optimism abounds on radio-ready tracks like Saturday Cool and And the Story Goes, but Simpsons background with real jazz players affords him a deeper artistry as well. Moodier, more sparsely arranged ballads like Twilight and Waiting provide a winning balance to the crowd-pleasing funk, giving guitarists Allen Hinds and labelmate Marc Antoine outlets for their gentler, more atmospheric sides. Putting most of the lighter fare up front, Simpson can then engage in a sweet, graceful samba (I Remember When, lushly enhanced by Everette Harps sax) and two traditional-minded numbers featuring acoustic bass — the contemplative Blues for Scott (featuring Tony Moores subtle brushes) and the raucous, happy bebop-flavored jam Au Contraire. The albums title phrase may be slightly overused in American pop culture, but in this case, its the best way to describe Simpsons latest attempt to shed the sideman shackles and emerge as an artist in his own right. !!!!! https://youtube/watch?v=W0gJc5IK0ls&index=2&list=PLtny9jfHRuEga8lG95UdpxEndEtIkW9TC
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 17:01:44 +0000
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