by Stewart Mason
Though he occasionally branches out into other styles, Chuck Loeb is at heart, a pop-oriented smooth jazz guitarist. Presence finds Loeb smack in the middle of his comfort zone. &Llevame& adds some Latin percussion and murmured female vocals, &The Western Sky& incorporates a vaguely new age synth wash, and &The Music Outside& flirts a bit with quiet storm R&B, but at heart, this is utterly straightforward smooth jazz with Loeb's laid-back, tasty soloing front and center. Even the pair of pop covers, Steely Dan's &Rikki Don't Lose That Number& and James Taylor's &Shed a Little Light,& are transformed into showcases for Loeb's inimitable style. Unapologetically mellow and buffed to a high-sheen gloss, Presence is smooth jazz for folks who think they just don't make smooth jazz records like this anymore.