Stars

Mindi Abair | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 6, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Peak Records
• ASIN: B0015NOR8M
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,961 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Singer, songwriter and saxophonist, Mindi Abair follows up her 2006 release, Life Less Ordinary, which debuted on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart at # 1, with Stars, a fresh blast of innovative vocals and modern instrumentals. Abair adds a refreshingly unique voice to an exciting new generation of crossover artists who are, like her, powerful instrumentalists as well as thought-provoking singer/songwriters. Her singles have hit number one over and over again on the Radio & Records charts (including "Lucy's", from the album, It Just Happens That Way, one of the longest running # 1 singles ever for a debut artist) and she continues to sell out everywhere on tour.

Abair is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show, Chill With Mindi Abair featuring cutting edge music by artists such as Air, Moby, Zero 7 and remixes of classic jazz titles.

She has toured and/or recorded with a wide range of artists including: MANDY MOORE, KEB MO, LEE RITENOUR, BOBBY LYLE, THE BACKSTREET BOYS, and DURAN DURAN. She also opened for JOSH GROBAN on his 2004 sold out fall tour.

Product Description

"Stars. The new album from Mindi Abair. A unique mix of pop, soul, jazz and vocals......leading a whole new movement in contemporary music." "Stars" puts her in a stand-alone category when compared to her contemporaries...and is not to be missed! The album represents a musical shift for Mindi; in addition to her signature sax sound, she has also featured her unique and modern approach to vocals on this album.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mindi Abair's "Stars" CD Review, May 21, 2008

By 

Donald R. McMenimen (Greenacres, Florida, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stars (Audio CD)

I noticed a lot of people have complained about the amount of vocals on this album. I don't mind a few, but "Stars" has too many. So I decided to give a score for each song and see what it averaged out to.

1. Smile (Instr.) 95, 2. On & On (vocal) 92, 3. Out of the Blue (Instr.) 88, 4. Stars (vocal) 75, 5. F.L.A. Swing (Instr.) 95,

6. I Wonder (vocal) 85, 7. Gingerbread Man (Instr.) 92, 8. Change (vocal) 75, Mojo (Instr.) 88, Here For You (vocal) 70, Gonna Be Alright (Instr.) 95. So it comes out to 950 total points divided by 11 songs = 86.4 overall rating. The instrumentals averaged 92.1 and the vocals 79.4.

I could live without the songs: "Stars," "Change" and "Here For You." Substitute another good vocal like "On and On" and add another good instrumental and she'd have a top notch album. I don't care for her singing too much except for the song "On and On." She tries to sound too young and she's almost 40 years old. Overall I like the album minus those 3 dud vocals.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Less singing, more Sax please Mindi, May 7, 2008

By 

KindlePad (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Stars (Audio CD)

On some of MIndi's first albums, there was a lot of Jazz and especially some great smooth Sax. Occasionally she would add in some vocals to the mix and that was nice. On this CD, there are several songs totally missing her great Sax playing or with very very little of it. At times this is just a pop music CD with an average female vocalist with some sax in the background. Maybe others like it, I don't. Those few songs here that are completely jazz / sax infused are very enjoyable.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars She Can Do Better, May 14, 2008

By 

sayock - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Stars (Audio CD)

I would have to agree with S. Banks' review. There are a few pleasing songs on the CD that stay true to smooth jazz. Obviously, her first single release "Smile"--the song that made me excited about this CD coming out in the first place--fits the bill, as do other tracks such as "F.L.A. Swing," "Gonna Be Alright" and "Gingerbread Man." However, Mindi has simply taken the singing too far, and I was disappointed. Every other song on the CD, literally (essentially every even-numbered song), features her vocals and doesn't really sound like a smooth jazz song. This is Mindi's biggest departure from her CD "It Just Happens That Way," which I, unfortunately, still believe was her best CD, no contest. I truly found myself wondering while listening to this CD if Mindi is hoping to eventually cross over into maybe mainstream adult contemporary (where artists like Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Amy Grant, etc, who used to be huge in pop now live) rather than continue to do smooth jazz, because this just made me think this is a blatant attempt by her to get noticed vocally and/or outside of jazz.

I like basically all genres of music, but smooth jazz based on good sax, piano or guitar with a nice little mainstream flavor (cool beat, strong melody) added in and no vocals is almost entirely the only recent music I listen to and look forward to when released. Yet, speaking as someone who likes various genres, the majority of her non-smooth jazz songs are not good enough for Mindi to seriously want to stray into other genres (they are okay upon a second or third listen, but just kind of like a cold bucket of water dumped on your head if you got this CD thinking you were about to hear 11 smooth jazz songs), and her vocals are not strong enough for that, either. Maybe the CD would have been more tolerable otherwise to someone who does appreciate pop and adult contemporary.

Still, I think doing anything other than smooth jazz is a waste for Mindi, as it's painfully obvious that's where her talent is at a maximum. That's why this CD is only halfway good, and it's a shame because she could have put out a CD that was incredible if she had just stuck with the genre, maybe doing vocals and/or a more mainstream sound in a couple songs only. Those who are not as bothered by vocals and a sound that's not really smooth jazz, love Mindi almost unconditionally and/or really liked her last CD (which I didn't) will probably enjoy this CD, regardless.