by Jonathan Widran
The former NBA all-star returns to titling his musical projects after expressions from his previous line of work -- and, consistent with those, comes up with a funk-drenched smooth jazz slam dunk once again. One of the few bassists to make it mainstream in the genre by playing those low tones like a regular guitar, Wayman Tisdale mixes up the hardcore grooves (as on the seductive opening &Ready to Hang,& which features infectious wordless vocals, and the slick, slow jamming title track) with lighter, more contemplative fare like &Better Days,& which features the wistful soprano of label co-owner Dave Koz. The always dependable Jeff Lorber is on hand, co-writing and co-producing three mid-tempo retro-soul-minded tracks, the best of which, &Creative Juices,& features Tisdale's playful aggression tempered by the keyboardist's colorful Fender Rhodes. The first single chosen is a fun-filled cover of the disco classic &Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now,& with Tisdale's jumpy verses complemented by a brass-intensive chorus. Between genre releases, Tisdale independently released the gospel recording 21 Days, which featured &Glory Glory,& the soulful, spiritual-minded track chosen to close the new set. Tisdale once again makes it fun to dance along and just hang.