Smooth jazz instrumental radio in Jazz Instrumental Music

"No. 1 Smooth Jazz Radio Hits [Shanachie #1]" (01/20/2004) Jazz Instrument Various Artists, Shanachie RecordsPersonnel: Carmen Cuesta (vocals, spoken vocals); Alfonzo Blackwell (vocals); Chieli Minucci (guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, programming, drum programming); Chuck Loeb (guitar, keyboards, drum programming, percussion programming); Jeff Lockhart, Evan Marks, Bubba Jones, Allen Hinds (guitar); David Mann (flute, saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, keyboards, drum programming); Nestor Torres (flute); Jeff Kashiwa, Walter Beasley (saxophone); Kim Waters (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, keyboards, drum programming); Tony Guerrero, Barry Danielian (trumpet); Dave Darlington (keyboards, programming); Kavin Hoo (keyboards, drum programming); Dave Kochanski, Andrew Sherman, Carl Evans, Jr. (keyboards); Kevin Koch (drums, drum programming); Ricky Lawson, Lionel Cordew, Bernard Davis (drums); Daniel Sadownick, David Charles, Tom Aros (percussion). Photographer: Anthony Barboza. No. 1 Smooth Jazz Radio Hits is a ten-song collection of mellow and thoroughly modern jazz sounds featuring some of the big-name artists recording for Shanachie and Narada Jazz. Most of the tracks, like Chieli Minucci's "My Girl Sunday," Chuck Loeb's "Sarao," and Kim Waters' "Waterfall," get bogged down in overly programmed rhythms and bland, clich?d dance music atmospherics and are nothing but the kind of background music you are likely to hear while on hold with the power company. A couple of the tracks manage to escape the gloom by delving deeply into the funky end of smooth jazz: the Urban Knights' bubbling cover of R&B staple "Hi-Heel Sneakers" and Nestor Torres' grooving take on Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" are fun and almost exciting. Strip away the synths and they might even pass for jazz. ~ Tim Sendra