Pushing the Envelope

Gerald Albright | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 15, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B003HLT06E
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,967 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2011 GRAMMY NOMINEE: BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Jazz and R&B icon Gerald Albright is considered to be one of the most innovative and successful artists of the last twenty-five years. With the release of Pushing The Envelope, Albright's super cool side is back. With its polished soul/jazz vibe, Pushing The Envelope is a showcase for Albright's remarkably fine balance of songcraft and musicianship, and features special guest appearances by Fred Wesley on trombone, Earl Klugh on acoustic guitar and George Duke on acoustic piano.

Produced and arranged by Albright, Pushing The Envelope provides the perfect opportunity for this master musician/saxophonist/songwriter to exhibit his skills. He plays soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, flutes, bass guitar, and keyboards, and also handles synthesizer, EWI and drum programming. Albright's band on most of the album includes keyboardists Tracy Carter and Luther "Mano" Hanes, guitarist Ricky Watford and drummer Ricky Lawson.

Pushing the Envelope is easily Gerald Albright's most rewarding session to date. "The title reflects all the tunes on the project," Albright says. "I didn't want to hold anything back. I really wanted to push the envelope and give people a little more edge. I come from the era where we didn't think of a formula - we went from the gut."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not ground breaking, but certainly a very enjoyable Smooth Jazz set., June 18, 2010

By 

apricots & jazz - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pushing the Envelope (Audio CD)

Certainly he is one of the most eclectic and consistent jazzmen on the market.

This is his 12th solo album in almost 25 years of recording career and fearures special guest appearances by Fred Wesley on trombone, Earl Klugh on acoustic guitar and George Duke on acoustic piano.

It's a pleasant and feel-good set, but do not be fooled by the ironical title.

In fact, if you expect to listen to something edgy and adventurous, you may be very disappointed.

There's no ground breaking on this one, on the contrary Gerald Albright sticks steadly on the Smooth Jazz territory.

Just consider the saccharine-rich version of Burt Bacharach's "Close To You" and the not memorable take on Michael Jackson's "Get On The Floor".

But we cannot say that there are not some good tracks.

The tribute to James Brown "What Would James Do" is at the funkier end of the music's spectrum with guest trombonist sounding uncannily like Fred Wesley.

On the Latin tip, you have another tribute (this time to percussionist Willie Bobo) in "Bobo's Groove" and "I Found The Klugh", which features Earl Klugh on acoustic guitar.

Other highlights are "Capetown Strut", (dedicated the South African city in the occasion of the FIFA 2010 Champonship), which blends Jazz, Pop, Funk and African grooves, and the mellow and very smooth "Road To Peace", dedicated to the Haiti earthquake victims.

"Highway 70" ups the tempo and returns to the funky side of things.

No doubt, the album will do very well on the Smooth Jazz radio Station and Contemporary Jazz Chart, and will appeal to the very man Albright's fans.

It would be nice, next time, to see Mr. Albright playing something really new and not cast of the Smooth/MOR Jazz mould.

Live At Birdland West

Sax for Stax

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OMG!, August 11, 2010

By 

Movie Collector "Jazz1152" (Los Angeles, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pushing the Envelope (Audio CD)

I purchased "Pushing the Envelope" yesterday. I was busy so I just loaded the songs onto my iPod.

Sitting at my desk I decided to play it. The first track is "What Would James Do?"

I get to work at 7 a.m. and I tell you, the first cut was better than an espresso shot! I could barely stay in my seat.

What I heard is exactly what James would do.

The entire CD is very nice. There is something for every mood. I listened to it all day long. Very nice mixture of tempos from funk to smooth and back again.

I love it!!!!!!!!!

Gerald, you made my week!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "WOW" WOW" The Best !!!!!, August 15, 2010

By 

G. Carrena "Georgia Carrena" (Dallas Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pushing the Envelope (Audio CD)

I've been a long time fan of Gerald Albright.. He really PUSHED THE ENVELOPE ON THIS CD..please check this one out buy it if you love smooth jazz. This is well worth the money & more please don't let this cd pass you by it's great!!! This is the best CD he's come out with in a long time that every songs sounds good...