Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: Dave Koz (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); | | Brian McKnight (vocals, piano); Javier, Evan Rogers, John Stoddart (vocals); Jerry Hey (trumpet, flugelhorn); Brian Culbertson (trumpet, trombone, synthesizer, programming); Chris Botti (trumpet); Bill Reichenbach (trombone); Brad Cole (piano); Jeff Lorber (Wurlitzer piano, Clavinet, keyboards, electric guitar); Carl Sturken (keyboards, acoustic guitar, bass, programming); Jeff Koz (keyboards, acoustic guitar, programming); Michael Thompson (acoustic & electric guitars, E-bow); Paul Jackson, Jr. (acoustic guitar, sound effects); Marc Antoine (acoustic guitar); Tony Maiden (electric guitar); Alex Al, Nathan East (bass); John Robinson (drums); Bobby Caldwell (background vocals). | | Producers include: Jeff Lorber, Dave Koz, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Brian Culbertson. | | "Honey-Dipped" was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. | | Personnel: Dave Koz (saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, hand claps); Brian McKnight (vocals, piano, background vocals); Javier (vocals, background vocals); John Stoddart (vocals); Evan Rogers (whistling, background vocals); Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar, acoustic guitar); Tony Maiden (guitar, electric guitar, wah-wah guitar); Jeff Koz (guitar, keyboards, drum programming); Norman Brown (guitar); Michael Hart Thompson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, E-bow, guitar synthesizer); Carl Sturken (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, drum programming); Marc Antoine (acoustic guitar, nylon-string guitar); Jeff Lorber (electric guitar, Clavinet, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, hand claps); Gloria Justin, Igor Szwec, Emma Kummrow (violin); Peter Nocella (viola); Jennie Lorenzo (cello); Jerry Hey (trumpet, flugelhorn); Brian Culbertson (trumpet, trombone, piano, keyboards, bass synthesizer, drum programming, sound effects); Chris Botti (trumpet); Bill Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); Brad Cole (piano); Nathan East, Alex Al (electric bass); John "J.R." Robinson , Gary Novak (drums); Janice Dela Cruz, Liz Healy, Lois Gleckman, Gary Morris, Audrey Koz, Hyman Katz (hand claps); Lenny Castro (percussion); Charles Crawford (scratches, turntables); Bobby Caldwell (background vocals). | | DJ: Charles Crawford. | | Audio Mixer: Peter Mokran. | | Recording information: BCM Studios, Los Angeles, CA; HUM Studios, Santa Monica, CA; JHL SOund, Pacific Palisades, CA; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA; The Back Room Studios, Glendale, CA; The Cole Mine, North Hollywood, CA; The Lab, New York, NY; The Loft, Bronxville, NY; The Palisades Zoo, Pacific Palisades, CA; The Studio, Philadelphia, PA. | | Photographer: Eltie Semotan. | | Arrangers: Dave Koz; Evan Rogers; Jeff Koz; Jeff Lorber; Brad Cole ; Brian Culbertson; Carl Sturken. | | This likeable, ultra funky, and melodic saxman is one of the few smooth jazz performers whose consistent gold sales status, and omnipresence in the genre (including DJ'ing a morning show at one of the country's top stations, and two annual tours) makes him a crossover superstar. But his breakneck multi-media schedule is only part of the reason he can get away with only recording a new studio album every three or four years; his discs are usually so deep in picture perfect potential hit singles that Capitol can milk the album for that long with constant radio play. He has a tough act to follow here after 1999's magnificent The Dance spawned no less than five Top Five contemporary jazz singles. He doesn't disappoint for a second, packing this sax-intensive collection with hook after hook amidst a mix of edgy funk, mid-tempo chill vibes, and some unique sonic experiments, including sampling old jazz tracks on the crazy-making, hip-hop scratcher "Sound of the Underground," featuring some nifty harmonies from trumpeter Chris Botti, and a colorful move into house music with "Only Tomorrow Knows," that may surprise those who always expect him to stay in the mainstream. Whereas The Dance was cover-happy, Saxophonic stands strong on all original tunes, broken up four at a time by Acts One, Two, and Three, which are defined by the overall vibe of the section. Act One is funkified, slickly produced (Jeff Lorber and Brian Culbertson had a hand), heavy on the horn doubling and soul, (represented by the irresistible opener "Honey-dipped"). Act Two has more ambience, and fresh, mid-tempo attitude, a balance of the feisty electronic hip-hop crackle of the title track, and the lush romance of "Definition of Beautiful," featuring vocals by labelmate Javier. Act Three offers the aforementioned experiments, plus a torchy ballad and a colorful thumping duet with Marc Antoine. The Curtain Call ballad, "One Last Thing," is a sweet, gospel-flavored sax-piano duet produced by Brian McKnight. One curious disappointment flutters amidst all the success here; the tracks that advertise contributions by McKnight and Bobby Caldwell only use them in a minor backing capacity. Yes, this makes things more "saxophonic," but why bring such talent on the journey if they're hardly present in the mix? That gripe aside, with the abundance of future hits here, Koz can probably hold off till 2006 at least. ~ Jonathan Widran | | The phenomenon of smooth jazz could not have taken hold the way it has without guiding lights in the form of artists who have found a way to peak through formulaic production. Dave Koz's sound is one of those beacons, an uncannily vocal-inflected saxophone (see "Love Changes Everything") that is shot through and through with potent emotion. Along with partner and fellow fusician Jeff Lorber on SAXOPHONIC, Koz has crafted a suite of tunes in three acts with a curtain call to boot. Of course, it also helps that Koz understands the centrality of a strong hook in pop music. Act II kicks of with "Let It Free" replete with one of those uplifting release choruses that seems destined for repeated airplay. "Saxophonic (Come On Up)" is a masterful blend of slinky grooves and sexy, cooing R&B. Also featured are supporting performances by Brian McKnight, Chris Botti, and Marc Antoine. With tight arrangements seamlessly blending the real (horns, guitars, drums, etc.) and the virtual (samples that include Lee Morgan's classic "The Sidewinder," processed instruments, and vocals), Koz and company have compiled a tasty menu of diverse moods, from the funky to the serene. |
|
CD
