Chuck Loeb knows the secret to finding enduring success in the genre, even amidst growing competition by more and more up and coming guitarists who approximate his style: keep the listener guessing from tune to tune with unique stylistic and production curveballs. He's so effective at this that it's impossible to resist as he commands in the title of his new Shanachie disc: simply Listen. Keeping his crisp electric lines front and center, he darts and moves from the retro-soul clicking, synth strings, and rising horn combination of "Silver Star" to the fingersnap percussion, hypnotic cymbal rolls, Gary Keller's flute harmony, and Jim Beard's shimmering Fender Rhodes foundation on "High Five." It's a kick keeping up with his mood swings; Loeb restrains himself wrapping around Mark Egan's spacy basslines and Kim Waters' soprano on "Love Is All," then stirs up the frenetic fusion activity of "Right Down Broadway" with Mitch Forman's jump or else piano groove and more of those sassy horns. He even keeps a cover of Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" from slipping away into Muzakville by shifting from high to low string tones and trading off melody lines with Walter Beasley's alto. ~ Jonathan Widran
Principally recorded at BearTracks Studio, Suffern, New York.
3rd Rel.On This Label;Smooth
Personnel: Chuck Loeb (guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, drum programming); Carmen Cuesta (vocals); Julio Fernandez (guitar); David Mann (flute, saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Lawrence Feldman (flute, saxophone); Gary Keller (flute, tenor saxophone); Kim Waters, Bill Evans (soprano saxophone); Jay Beckenstein, Walter Beasley (alto saxophone); Jim Pugh (baritone saxophone, trombone); Jim Hynes, Larry Lunetta (trumpet, flugelhorn); Howard Howard (French horn); Birch Johnson (trombone); Mike Ricchiuti (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, keyboards, synthesizer); Mitchel Forman, Bob James (piano); Jim Beard (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); John Patitucci (acoustic bass); Wolfgang Haffner (drums, cymbals); Lionel Cordew, Brian Dunne (drums); David Charles (percussion).
Audio Mixers: Dennis Wall; Ken Freeman; Phil Magnotti.
Personnel includes: Chuck Loeb (keyboards, guitar, drum & percussion programming); Carmen Cuesta (vocals); Kim Waters, Bill Evans (soprano saxophone); Jay Beckenstein, Walter Beasley (alto saxophone); David Mann (saxophone, flute); Jim Pugh (trombone, baritone horn); Bob James (piano); John Patitucci (acoustic bass); Will Lee (bass).
A keeper Most subsequent collections by an artist can be stale and limp, but not this one by Chuck Loeb. The title really sets the stage for some really wonderful hours spent absorbing thses great jazz melodies. Submitted by ses450 (Bellefonte, PA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
A Good One from CHUCK! I've been a big fan of Chuck Loeb ever since I heard his work from his days on the DMP label when "audiophile CDs" were just starting to come out. I'm glad to say that the Shanachie label has maintained the excellent audio quality set by that preceeding label and surpassed it on occassion. This is the case on this release which finds CL stretching fingers on a fine selection of tracks. Outstanding arrangements of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" and The Yellowjacket's "Geraldine" have firmly placed Chuck at the very top of the school of smooth jazz guitarists. If you need to buy just ONE Chuck Loeb CD, this SHOULD be it. LISTEN, (pardon the pun) discover and ENJOY. Submitted by GP (Singapore) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Good album. Chuck Loeb really is one of the best writers//producers//players out there. While not his best album, it has some good tracks and some nice guests (Jay Beckenstein, Kim Waters). A safe buy. Submitted by a reviewer (Europe) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
A keeper
A Good One from CHUCK!
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