Free Your Mind

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共11首歌曲

艺人: Walter Beasley
语种: 英语
厂牌: Heads Up
发行时间: 2009年01月27日
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专辑介绍

by Alex Henderson

The frustrating thing about smooth jazz isn't an absence of talent or chops; actually, there are plenty of smooth jazz musicians who have chops galore even though their studio recordings don't reflect that. At smooth jazz concerts, it isn't hard to find artists who take a lot more chances on-stage than they do in the studio. But taking chances in the studio isn't conducive to airplay on commercial smooth jazz/NAC radio stations, which is why so many generic, unimaginative smooth jazz recordings have been flooding the market since the 1980s. Walter Beasley has certainly given listeners plenty of generic, unimaginative recordings over the years, but not everything he records is without merit -- and Free Your Mind does have its moments. Beasley, true to form, provides his share of lightweight, forgettable background music on this early-2009 release; smooth jazz stations are famous -- or rather, infamous -- for encouraging that type of approach, and Beasley is often willing to give them what they want. But when Beasley takes some chances, the listener catches occasional glimpses of what he is capable of. The veteran saxman lets loose on "Shirlitta" (which boasts an addictive Afro-Cuban-minded groove) and the appealing, Brazilian-influenced "DukeZillia" (named after pianist/keyboardist George Duke, who has made some fine contributions to Brazilian jazz along the way). Beasley is obviously quite fond of Latin music, and the influence of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music is a plus on Free Your Mind. Also noteworthy is "Barack's Groove," which was written for Barack Obama and offers a bit of a Central African flavor. Definitely a mixed bag, this CD has both its ups and its downs. Free Your Mind has its moments, but like so many smooth jazz musicians who often shortchange themselves creatively, Beasley is capable of much more.

Free Your Mind

专辑介绍

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