Search - Various Artists :: Best of Smooth Jazz 3

"Smooth Jazz Volume 3" offers meetings of the mind

John Jones | Chicago IL | 09/28/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here's a good idea for a compilation: take some of today's hottest smooth jazz artists and highlight their collaborations with each other. The end result works well, treating us to the steadily-grooved-but-silky smooth "Mind Games" from Bob James and Boney James, the lush ballad "Mimosa" from guitarists George Benson and Earl Klugh, and the bright midtempo exercise "Strength in You" from saxmen Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright. There's plenty of vocals onhand too, as Michael Franks and Brenda Russell team up for the sultry "When I Give My Love to You," and Randy Crawford and Al Jarreau offer up the finest reading of "Your Precious Love" since Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Jarreau also joins saxophonist Boney James for the gorgeous ballad "I Still Dream," and the timeless Patti Austin/James Ingram chestnut "Baby Come to Me" gets dusted off as well.Of course, some of the tracks don't fit the album's subtitle of "One on One": Randy Crawford teams up with both David Sanborn and Eric Clapton on one cut, and doesn't Fourplay plus Take 6 equal ten? Still, mathematical tecnicalities can't subtract from the appeal of Randy's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" or Fourplay's slowed-down-funk version of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." In fact, all the adding you'll need here is thirteen tracks plus a stable of smooth jazz's finest equals over an hour of fine listening."