Search - Karen Merchant, Chuck Loeb :: In A Heartbeat

Guitarist Chuck Loeb's 10th solo recording is a pleasant, mild-mannered affair suitable for anyone whose ear is favorably inclined toward the softer side of smooth jazz. Loeb ups the tempo periodically on In a Heartbeat (a title subtly linked to his own modest heart-murmur condition), but the overall mood is polite and relaxed, appropriate for anyone in a sitting-by-the-pool frame of mind. Accompanied at various times by soprano saxophonist Kim Waters (the slow-go "New Life"), saxophonist Andy Snitzer (on "Big Time," a sultry mix of sax and electric guitar), and reed player David Mann, Loeb gives the disc a slight Bob James-like urban edge, but never at the expense of the project's overall sheen of smoothness. Three vocal tracks will probably help Loeb pick up radio airplay, but the disc's primary highlights are found in three instrumentals: a flavorful nod to Wes Montgomery ("Sway"), the animated licks that close the breezy "Santa Cruz," and the warm melody that adorns "The Goodbye." --Terry Wood