One of today’s most celebrated contemporary smooth jazz artists, tenor saxophonist Steve Cole has broken the anodyne aspects of the genre on his fifth album, with an emphasis on its R&B and soul jazz roots as they originated in his native Chicago. A player in the Sanborn / Washington Jr / Benson tradition of individual expression over increasingly prevalent electronic sampling and mixes, Cole has stretched out on True, eschewing pop-hooks in favour of nicely judged solos and some well-worked improvisation.
A mix of low key ballads and bluesy-jams, with salutes to fellow Windy Cityites Curtis Mayfield and Quincy Jones, make up a contemporary jazz album of superior quality. Most artists in smooth jazz achieve success with a certain style and formula and stick with it, lest they alienate radio programmers and fans. Cole has scored many hits while on the road to finding his true voice, and with any luck, he'll stick right there as the perfect antidote to his less imaginative contemporaries. |
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Track Listing :
Bounce; Côté Seine; Curtis; Just A Natural Thang; Take Me; Something About You; Metro; Closer; Come With Me.
Personnel :
Steve Cole (tenor, soprano sax, keyboards, guitar); Barry Danielian (trumpet, flugelhorn); Dan Levine (trombone); Mike Logan, Ricky Peterson (organ, Fender Rhodes); David Andrew Mann (keyboards, tenor sax, programming); Jeff Golub, Dave Hiltebrand, Gerey Johnson, Bernd Schoenhart, Michael Thompson (guitars); Richard Patterson (bass); Khari Parker (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion).
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