Customer Reviews

Worth Waiting for

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Given the long hiatus Jeff Lorber took before coming back on the scene with this gem, the title seems appropriate. This represents one of the better offerings of the smooth jazz genre. It has mostly upbeat; lively grooves that will get you moving. There are a couple songs that have a slower pace; but they still have enough vibrance in them not to induce sleep. Definately worth looking into.

I purchased my first Jeff Lorber cassette 20 years ago and I have been a fan ever since, I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert with the late Art Porter and all can say is WOW. This CD has some great playing on it and also he comes at you with a variety of styles judge for yourself that some music can't be labeled it's just out right good.

It had eight years since Jeff's previous album Private Passion and during that time music had changed. The previous album was filled with allusions to 80's electro and vocals from Karyn White and Tower Of Power's Michael Jeffries. Jeff commented later on feeling like a "sideman" on his own recordings so when this album came out he essentially went back to the same format as albums like Wizard Island. Each song featured a smaller group of musicians,featuring everyone from Paulinho Da Costa,Paul Jackson Jr,John Robinson,Lee Ritenour and Bruce Hornsby. The primary difference in these from earlier albums such as that one is that this album is primarily based in Jeff Lorber's own playing and only one song "Lost With You" features lead vocals,in that case Eric Jordan. Now because of the slickness of some of the production in jazz in this era a lot of the slower songs such as "Yellowstone","Wavelengh" and "Coumbus Avenue" do sound a little bit locked into their era,especially with the very Kenny G-like sax of Gary Meek and David Koz. Some of the slower songs such as "The Underground" and "Do What It Takes" have a slow burning,rolling funk sound reminiscent of Sade and such and even for the tunes that contain sax the quality of Lorber's soloing and even rhythmic keyboard work is creative and impressive. On the other hand the album absolutely COOKS on the faster songs such as "Raing Song" and the title song,both of which are great midtempo jazz-funk with a lot of great wah-wah and some very moody atmospherics-not exactly Weather Channel type NAC music exactly. "High Wire" has a very 80's sounding dance/house flavor to it and an extremely high NRG tempo and has to be one of the most exciting tunes on the album. The album closer "Jazzery" has the same multi sectioned harmonic brilliance that harkens back to the days of the Jeff Lorber Fusion. In general this is an album that really lives up to it's title in every possible way. And even it's not as well known or celebrated as a lot of "smooth jazz" beginning to come out during this era it's an intensely creative and well done jazz-pop-funk album that truly transcended it's time.

Not only do I not have a problem with jazz being commercial, I hope there will always be a place for accessible popular jazz. "Smooth jazz" was a marketing concept; the pseudo format failed, but the toxic term lives on. This isn't elevator music, its good music: uptempo fusion lite, well written, performed and recorded. A not-so-guilty pleasure.

Lorber is an incredible gifted musician . In this album he shows the wide scope he owns around works as Wavelength , Yellowstone , Do what it takes the amazing piece Worth waiting for and the exquisite piece Columbus Ave. which may be the crown jewel of the album .
But quite beyond the all the considerations this album is in the list of the ten best of 1993 all the way .
You will feel infinitely good with this inspired work .