Alex Bugnon's commercial pop-jazz output of the early to mid-1990s wasn't fantastic, but it did indicate that he had some potential as both a pianist/keyboardist and a composer. Generally more substantial than most of the other albums that smooth jazz stations played in 1991, the uneven, erratic 107 in the Shade is far from a gem, but has its moments.
Bugnon gets into a pleasant,
Joe Sample-ish groove on "Paris and May" and "When I Think About Home," whereas the much too brief "Fly, Spirit, Fly" hints at
Pat Metheny. It was obvious that Sample was a major influence on
Bugnon, although there were also traces of
Ahmad Jamal in his playing. One of the CD's main flaws is
Bugnon's tendency to overproduce -- like other
Bugnon releases, 107 in the Shade could have used a lot more improvising and a lot less producing and arranging. Despite a few memorable cuts,
Shade really isn't worth the price of admission; it's clear that
Bugnon is capable of much more. ~ Alex Henderson