Mindi Abair - It Just Happens That Way (2003)

Predictable pop/smooth jazz music from an average saxophone player. There's very little improvisation on this disc. What there is, however, is a lot of jazz riff clichés and out-of-tune playing. While this disc had a smooth jazz hit (Lucy's) when it was released, Abair's career has now taken her to American Idol's back-up band. She also hosts a syndicated radio show that features chill out music. There is some decent pop song writing on this disc, but is that what you need on a jazz album? I bought this disc for $7.98 and that was about $5 too much.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Speaking of clichés: all the songs on this disc sound almost exactly the same. Who knows? Maybe that was what they were aiming for. The only song that differs in any way is the cover of Eagle Eye Cherry's Save Tonight because Mindi sings on that one. Her singing is as average as her horn playing.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I first heard the song Lucy's on Houston's defunct smooth jazz station, KHJZ 95.7 The Wave, which existed from late 2002 until 2008. The station wasn't strictly smooth jazz, because every now and then I'd hear something like Marvin Gaye singing Let's Get It On or Art of Noise's Moments In Love.