Homage to Duke
Artist: Dave Grusin

Although Dave Grusin is best known as a soundtrack composer and for his jazz-pop recordings, he has always had a great admiration for jazz. This CD (released in a fairly deluxe package) gave Grusin an opportunity to pay tribute to Duke Ellington. He performs ten mostly familiar songs associated with Ellington and wisely features fluegelhornist... Read More

The Best of the Rippingtons
Artist: The Rippingtons
Community Score: 10.00

Under the direction of Russ Freeman (equally skilled as a guitarist and as a keyboardist), the Rippingtons succeeded in combining jazz-influenced solos with light, funky rhythms and pop sensibilities. This particular CD has selections from eight of the group's GRP recordings, plus a pair of previously unreleased tracks ("Garden of Babylon" and... Read More

What's Going On
Artist: Everette Harp

Conventional contemporary wisdom says that performing covers of beloved pop classics is a cheap way to lure the curious. But when care is taken to create an entire, imaginative tribute to a great artist, with no two arrangements alike, some latitude should be in order. On his eclectic reworking of all the songs on Marvin Gaye's legendary What's... Read More

Escape
Artist: Bill Evans
Community Score: 10.00

From Miles Davis' Doo-Bop to albums by Greg Osby and Steve Coleman, much of the "jazz/rap fusion" released has been more hip-hop than jazz -- essentially, hip-hop with jazz overtones. Bill Evans, however, has featured rappers in much the way a hard bopper would feature a singer -- on "Reality" and the poignant, reggae-influenced "La Di Da,"... Read More

The Best of George Duke - EPIC
Artist: George Duke

The Best of George Duke is a fine ten-track overview of the funk keyboardist's late-'70s/early-'80s recordings, containing all three of his Top Ten R&B hits ("Reach For It," "Dukey Stick, " "Sweet Baby"), plus a good selection of minor hits and album tracks. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read More

Elixir
Artist: Fourplay
Community Score: 9.10

The third outing from Fourplay (Lee Ritenour, Nathan East, Bob James, and Harvey Mason clubbing together) is another lightly sautéed jazz offering, low-key and relaxed. Vocals this time are contributed by Phil Collins, East, Patti Austin, and Peabo Bryson (the latter two on an undistinguished version of "The Closer I Get to You"), but the main... Read More

Tales
Artist: Marcus Miller

It is obvious from the music of his group that Marcus Miller badly misses Miles Davis. The funky grooves he uses on this CD sound like a continuation of Davis' later band, Michael "Patches" Stewart contributes muted trumpet in Davis' style, altoist Kenny Garrett is among Miller's sidemen, and Miles Davis himself (along with the voices of several... Read More

Avenue Blue
Artist: Jeff Golub

It seems like ages since record companies had actual house producers, but Mesa-Bluemoon's Rick Braun seems to be gracing some of the label's most engaging projects these days. First came Willie and Lobo's world beat finesse, and now Avenue Blue featuring Jeff Golub, a snappy, fluid guitarist who takes the sharp lilt of Steve Laury into... Read More

Best of George Duke: The Elektra Years
Artist: George Duke

Best of George Duke: The Elektra Years culls the highlights from Duke's three mid-'80s albums for Elektra -- Thief in the Night, George Duke and Night After Night. During these years, Duke completed his shift from jazz to smooth jazz, fusion and urban R&B, which means there is very little here of interest to serious jazz fans. However, listeners... Read More