The word is out now about the upcoming new record that’s a summit meeting of smooth jazz titans Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb and Everette Harp. Jazz Funk Soul is coming out June 24, 2014 from Shanachie Entertainment.
Ahead of the full album release, Shanachie has offered up a taste of what this album has in store for us with an advance single and a video stream of the track “Serious Business”. True to the reputation of these guys, it’s built up from a toe-tapping, tightly-constructed jazz-funk groove and the chops that are used not as an ends onto itself but to instead light up the sunny harmony. Harp’s unison lines with Lorber over slippery progressions is a trademark sax/keyboards maneuver of Lorber’s that has long made his sound so distinctive in a field full of sound-alikes.
Loeb puts in a light, rippling octave run and afterwards brings the tune to its end to the end with funky rhythm guitar work that transports me back to the old, early 70s Crusaders records.
Jazz Funk Soul promises to be a true collaboration of three, well-regarded talents. But if “Serious Business” is any indication, it’s really just a bunch of maestros with nothing left to prove in their field taking an opportunity to have some good, clean fun with their renowned polish left intact. That in turn should be fun for those listening to this.
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