Soul Sessions

Soul Sessions

Taste and consistency are not often virtues lauded by critics. Amid the constant stream of media noise, jazz writers seem to require the constant shock of "new" and aggressive sounds to attract our notice. So it would be easy to overlook another album of tasteful blues-drenched instrumentals from Jeff Golub if only it wasn't so darned good. Once again his originals reflect his influences, from Ramsey Lewis ("Boom Boom") to the Crusaders ("Back Home"), while maintaining the distinctive sound he has refined through this his eighth CD. It is still surprising how he manages to hew to the smooth jazz format while slipping in hip covers like Jesse Winchester's "Isn't That So" (sung by Marc Cohen) and the Ohio Players' "Skin Tight." What is no longer surprising is that we can always count on the guitarist to deliver just what the title promises--heaping amounts of soul. If smooth jazz is mood music then this certainly qualifies. But unlike the anonymous anodynes that pervade the genre, <I>Soul Sessions</I> employs the glory of the guitar and the power of the groove to create a mood that will lift your heart while it moves your hips. <I>--Michael Ross</I>