Second Nature is a class act that many a group of musicians would find difficult to follow. The arrangements are tight and expertly presented by some highly talented individuals. With a good assortment of styles incorporated into the arrangements, variety is certainly an expressive ingredient that the band uses with extreme finesse. "Close the Door" opens
Chasing the Midnight Sun with a suave jazz number, which has the feel of the old R&B school of jazz. Something along the lines of
Barry White's
Love Unlimited Orchestra -- very smooth and classy. Piano, violin, and brass via sax, flute, and trumpet color "Close the Door" with vibrance and a majestic sound. The album closes on a high note with the up-tempo piece "Squib Cakes." Joseph M. Lee's high-strung funky drumming and Stephen Louie's rhythmic congas and percussion form the solid foundation that the multiple instrumental solos leap from. Jack Liebig's keyboard work maintains the funk sound with some outstanding organ accentuation, while
Eric Marienthal explodes with some massive phrases on his alto and tenor sax solos. Carl Ludewig's colorful trumpet accents and
Mark Olson's expressive guitar fills complete the arrangement with a dynamic punch.
Second Nature has an excellent group of tunes that make up the contents of
Chasing the Midnight Sun. With a mixture of covers and originals, the band displays that they can create masterfully in their own style with whatever material they undertake. With a predominantly jazz style to the album, with rock, funk, and blues sneaking periodically into the mix, one is sure to find something that appeals to their taste in the contents of this entertaining album. ~ Larry Belanger