Joyce Cooling - This Girl's Got to Play

If you're one of those who immediately starts retching when the phrase "smooth jazz" is uttered, you might as well move on right now; there's nothing about the new Joyce Cooling album that won't make you roll your eyes and lunge for the off button. But if you actually enjoy funky jazz with great hooks and propulsive beats and aren't bothered by a nice, glossy sheen, you'll find plenty to enjoy on the latest album by this very fine guitarist, composer, and singer. Her sound isn't especially original -- you'll hear powerful overtones of Wes Montgomery in her solos and of Lee Ritenour and Larry Carlton in her production style -- but her writing is inventive and hooky and her playing is expert and stylish. The album's less-than-stellar moments (a rather generic bedroom number called "Take Me There" and the quirky, quasi-autobiographical title track) are still quite enjoyable, and there are plenty of top-notch numbers to counterbalance the less inspired moments. These include the slow and deeply funky "Natural Fact," a fine vocal number called "No More Blues," and the subtly latin bump of "Wizard." Very nice. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Hall Drums Annie Stocking Vocals, Vocals (Background) Bill Ortiz Trumpet, Flugelhorn Billy Friday Johnson Drums Brian "Big Bass" Gardener Mastering Connie Gage Design David Denny Technical Support Gary Calvin Bass Gary Mankin Technical Support, Engineer, Mixing, Vocal Producer Jay Wagner Mixing, Programming, Organ, Arranger, Sax (Soprano), Keyboards, Vocals (Background), Producer, Rhythm Track, Vocals Jon Evans Bass Joyce Cooling Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar, Arranger, Guitar (Electric) Karl Perazzo Percussion Nelson Braxton Bass, Rhythm Track Nicholas Beard Vocals Nicolas Bearde Vocals, Vocals (Background) Pete Escovedo Vocals (Background), Vocal Arrangement, Engineer, Percussion, Drum Loop Poppy Cannon Reese Stylist Ray Obiedo Engineer, Arranger, Guitar (Electric) Reggie Reg Sitar Richard Aguon Drums Roger Graham Digital Editing Sheryl Schindler Photography Steve Sykes Mixing Victor Owens Vocals (Background), Technical Support