An enjoyable album of smooth jazz in the same vein as Brian Simpson and Jeff Lorber (which is a nice way of saying there's nothing here that can immediately identify the artist). Lots of familiar names: Marcus Miller, Norman Brown, Jerry Hey, Rick Braun, etc. The only downside is the use of synth drums - a fad that should have run its course by 2003. Culbertson uses live horns and strings, but synth drums. Go figure. Credit to Culbertson, his writing, and the fact that he plays many instruments: keyboards, percussion, trombone, and trumpet (his dad was a school band director). Most reviews I've read give this 3 out of 5 stars; sound about right.
Album chart Peaks
- US Billboard 200: #197
- Billboard Jazz: #3
- Billboard R&B: #36
Tracks: The better tracks are Say What?, Playin', and the title track, which got a lot of airplay ("lot" being a relative term for jazz radio). I had high hopes for the cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's Serpentine Fire, but after an exciting intro, the thing just lies there. Skippable tracks include Days Gone By and Fly High.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None - just picked it up recently out of a used bin for $1.
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