Generation Band - Soft Shoulder (1983)

I was perusing some jazz album charts from 1983 - as one does - noticed this particular Generation Band album went to #1 on the Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay chart and scratched my bald head while wondering why I'd never heard of the album or band. Then I saw the below ad, recognized all four names mentioned and, based on their participation, thought it sounded like something I might enjoy.

Well, take that line of thinking and a #1 chart position and couple it all with an admitted eBay problem plus a PayPal balance, and yada yada yada, this CD appeared in my mailbox [spoiler alert: more than one 1983 jazz CD may have arrived in said mailbox at the time].

The Generation Band was the brainchild of the late Victor Feldman, a sought-after British pianist and mallet percussionist. I first became aware of Feldman through his participation on Steely Dan's Aja album. In addition to the fantastic group of session musicians listed in the ad, Feldman enlists the help renown bassist Nathan East and Feldman's sons Trevor (drums), Jake (bass), and Josh (producer) so I'm guessing the family's involvement is where the band name originated. Nepotism aside, Trevor's work is impressive and made even more so by the fact that he was still a teen when the album was recorded.

The highly polished pop-fusion sound is Dave Grusin meets Flim & The BB's and that's fine with me, although Robben Ford's talents are woefully underused throughout and Ernie Watts only appears on one track. Good grooves, good melodies, good musicians, good stuff.

Reviews/ratings:

• CashBox: "a spirited work-out ranging from jazz/rock to simmering funk and reflective straight-ahead jazz."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay: #1

Tracks: My picks are Come On Home, the title track, Locomotive, and Chasin' The Sunrise. All tracks written by Victor Feldman with a co-write credit with son Jake for the one track on which he plays bass, Chasin' The Sunrise. The above CashBox review mentions some "straight-ahead jazz" but I can't find any of that here.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: none, but if I'd somehow discovered this album back in '83, I'd have listened to it plenty.