Customer Reviews

Life Less Ordinary

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

It's tough not to like Mindi Abair (hey, if she married me she'd be Mindi Minde, so what's not to like?). Ms. Abair is one of the better known studio and tour musicians around, and has played with some of the biggest acts of the last decade. She's definitely got talent, and she's a certified hot chick with a breathy little girl voice, to boot. LIFE LESS ORDINARY is her latest smooth jazz album. It's upbeat, it's listenable, and it's the best sax I've had in quite awhile, things being what they are nowadays.

The drawback to LIFE LESS ORDINARY (or really the whole Kenny G. smooth jazz style) is that it lacks longevity. It's great background music at a dinner party but it has little real substance. At first listen, LIFE LESS ORDINARY sounds like the greatest album in recording history; by its fifteenth playing it's a disc you'll be surprised to find in your collection, a la, "Ohhh, yeah...I remember this one."

Mindi Abair is a truly credible talent who does nothing very incredible or innovative on this album. By and large, smooth jazz, with its derivative rock phrasings is a form of bridge music for listeners in transition, those moving from Slash to Miles Davis. LIFE LESS ORDINARY is a THREE AND A HALF STAR effort worth your time and attention, particularly if you're just discovering jazz. As such, you could do much worse than acquaint yourself with Mindi Abair.

GRP Records has released Mindi Abair's latest CD entitled Life Less Ordinary, an album that is light years ahead of her second recording Come As You Are. This time out, Mindi revisits the energy and spontaneity of her 2003 release It Just Happens That Way. With assistance from a stellar cast of seasoned musicians, Mindi's alto saxophone blows new life into a sometimes stagnant array of smooth jazz offerings. Listeners who are constantly searching for something fresh may find renewed zeal in Mindi Abair's latest release. Tracks such as "Do You Miss Me," "The Joint" and "Slinky" are true reminders of Abair's funk-laden capabilities. On top of everything else this CD has to offer, versatility is but one of its many attributes. Life Less Ordinary is filled with upbeat rhythms, seductive moods and a variety of cover songs to push the envelope of Mindi's creative flow. This entire conceptualized recording is filled with bits of classic inspired rhythms, as well as a montage of strategically placed horn dynamics.

Although Life Less Ordinary does offer a cornucopia of energetic funk oriented capabilities, the CD also includes a somber side too. The track entitled "Rain" is a reminder of the impact Katrina had on the residents of Louisiana. Another cut entitled "Ordinary Love" is a Latin-inspired tune that speaks of Mindi's outlook on love. In essence, she has attempted to capture the simplicity of what love is truly about in its purest form. In either case, Mindi Abair shows that she is very adept at exhibiting her sensitive side with music that not only reflects on the complexities of life, but proves that she is a very well-rounded musician in approach to her craft.

Life Less Ordinary may well be Mindi Abair's best CD to date. Although she came out smoking on her debut release, her second CD was a bust in my opinion. This latest release lets me know that all is well with Mindi and she has recaptured the energy that brought her to our attention in the first place. With the likes Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Peterson, Keb' Mo and long-time collaborator Matthew Hager by her side, Mindi has provided a renewed appreciation for her abilities as an artist. She has also shown a multi-faceted side of herself as a musician, vocalist and writer with this third release. As one of only a few female saxophonists in smooth jazz, Mindi Abair is definitely making her own statement and her presence known. Life Less Ordinary sends a message worth listening to, as it places Mindi in a stand-alone category when compared to her contemporaries.
-Jazzreview.com

There's nothing in this I'd say even remotely resembles jazz. It's repetitive, has a rock beat, and consists mostly of licks taken from other players. If you're looking for backrgound music to play in a waiting room, this might be a good choice.

Smooth sexy jazz is what Mindi Abair presents on this sultry album with romantic appeal. In "It Must Be Love," her sweet voice embodies a certain purity, possibly retained from a more introspective outlook on life. "The Joint" changes venues pretty quickly as the music gets downright soulful and sensual.

"Rain" is an especially beautiful instrumental track with bittersweet moments and hope intertwined in a creative exploration of the feelings of loss and new discoveries. I love the heart in her playing and this is an exquisite selection with depths of emotions that make you contemplate the meaning.

"Slinky" is another original song with unique vibes and heavy beats. This entire album is really a journey into creativity. Ordinary Love feels like a tropical escape and Mindi Abair's voice mirrors her poetess heart. Bloom has pop appeal all while retaining jazzy roots. This is where the album really takes off into a fusion of powerful sax and soothing cascades of soul comforting sounds. Far Away is a beautiful mingling of piano and sax with breathy vocal whispers that cools down this sexy album.

If you like your Jazz a little on the smooth and sexy side,
this holds a warm appeal.

~The Rebecca Review

I have been a fan of Mindi's since her first record. Her sound and energy is so different from other smooth jazz artists. I have seen a few negative reviews here and I can't figure it out. Coltrane was a genius and that was nearly 50 years ago. If you define jazz exclusively by the legendary recordings of Jazz's early years, this album may not be for you. I also read that she sings too much on this record. Funny, there are only 2 vocals on this album (there were 3 on her last). The Rickie Lee Jones cover is genius and Ordinary Love is a fun and beautiful song about love. Sometimes I think people just get on these sites and write bad things about albums they haven't really heard.
Whew.. ok I got that off my chest. So anyway, this album is touching, funky, and rocks hard. The song "Rain" is my favorite because it is so darn moving. If you want to get your groove on, you gotta check out The Joint. It's a throwback to that live funky 70's jam feel. All in all, I think this is my favorite album from Miss Mindi. Easily as good as her debut.
If you have to choose one instrumental album this year.. this is the one to get. This is Mindi Abair at her best.

I regret that this artist's hype seems to go beyond her actual ability (or at least what's offered here). Her instrument's tone is squawky and coarse. The CD doesn't offer anything unusual or new. I'm beginning to think that "Smooth Jazz" is just repetition, not the innovation of the Blue Note era. Don't waste your money.

I still love the saxaphone, and the way Mindi plays it, but she seems to be hitting a spinning record-player stand still.
There is not a single remarkable song on this track, but they are still soothing and fine to listen to after a long day.

Her first album, "It Just happens this Way", is still her best by far. If you haven't gone out and bought it, buy it now. the Song "Momo" really takes me into my dreamworld when I hear it.

Long story short .... there's quite a difference between the two genres of Smooth Jazz and Old School Jazz. A previous reviewer (Book & Music Lover) took the time to scold all of us (indeed chastising all of America's Smooth Jazz radio listeners) on why our genre of choice is petty, but there are a lot of us who prefer this niche community within Jazz. With that being said, this is an album for those Mindi Abair fans who listen to her for her voice (with her sax talents being wonderful accessories). If you prefer Mindi's instrumental sax performance, however, I'm afraid that you'll have to go back to her first album. The choice is yours ....

This is the second purchase I have made of the music of this artist. As before, there is quite a bit of energy expressed in the music. Some how this recording seems a bit more forward and I have always wondered why the studios seem to do this to a female artist. This is an excellent artist and I really do enjoy her presentation.

Wow! After hearing Mindi's music on the radio for some time I finally decided to buy one of her cd's. I am so glad that I did. This album is an emotional journey from start to finish. There were times when I felt like I had to catch my breath. Some songs made me want to dance and some songs made me feel. This is easily the best instrumental album that I have heard this year. I especially love the song Rain that she wrote for the victims of Katrina. It kind of reminds me of something Sting might do if he were a sax player. Thank you Mindi!!!!!