by Scott Yanow
Michel Legrand's LaserLight CD boasts quite an all-star band (trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, trombonist Bill Watrous, altoist Bud Shank, Buddy Collette and Hubert Laws on flutes, guitarist John Pisano, bassist Brian Bromberg, drummer Peter Erskine, and the leader/pianist) but is surprisingly (and disappointingly) relaxed. The emphasis is on ballads, Legrand sings two dramatic pieces that are outside of jazz, and none of the solos are all that memorable. Sandoval is overly restrained and, even with some strong moments from Watrous and Laws, this session does not reach the heights one would expect from this cast of musical personalities.