Although jazz guitarist Freddie Fox had been criss-crossing the country for over two decades as a sideman by the time of his 2009 release, FEELIN' IT was just his second album. A self-described "gentle Southern man," Fox opens the affair with the frantic "Southern Ways," but despite the moniker and the title, Fox's lush style, while bearing the occasional hot NoLa flourish or gritty slide, mostly sticks to the sort of melodic funk, heavily produced sound highly popular in the late '70s and early '80s (think Bobby Caldwell or George Benson). That connection is not lessened by the appearance of Fox's wife, Evelyn "Champagne" King (of "Shame" fame), who still has the sultry touch on the Talking Book-era Stevie Wonder-esque "Happy Feelings." While the album does suffer from an overkill of production, Fox's guitar touch is crisp and vibrant in the smooth-jazz manner. The record is also buoyed by the presence of luminaries like Najee, Luis Conte, and Walter Beasley.