Lorber is one of the best instrumentalist/composer/producers in the smooth jazz game today and he brings us some good stuff in this revamped version of Jeff Lorber Fusion, which includes the Yellowjackets' Jimmy Haslip helping with bass, writing, and production duties (in the cover photo, that's Haslip on the left and Lorber on the right).
Plenty to enjoy here, but I really like how it starts off as a typical Lorber album, then slowly becomes a Yellowjackets album for the middle tracks before returning to Lorber's style for the final few tracks. Makes a strong case against shuffling. In addition to Haslip, Bob Mintzer and Robben Ford of the Yellowjackets make appearances on this album. I'm liking this version of the Fusion (not that there was anything wrong with the 1977-81 version).
Album chart peaks:
- US Billboard Top 200: Did not chart
- Billboard Jazz: #9
Tracks: My favorites are Mustang, Arecibo, Deep Green, and the lead track Get Up, which hit #1 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart, which has been a thing since June 2006 (I learned something new today). But the whole album is good from top-to-bottom; nothing to skip here. Thanks for not including any vocal tracks, Jeff.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None
Previously revisited for the blog:
The Very Best of Jeff Lorber (2002)
Midnight (1998)
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