Pieces of a Dream's third album for Elektra,
Imagine This features more of the softly funky jazz and R&B mix that helped to define the smooth jazz genre. Produced by saxophonist
Grover Washington, Jr., the album largely centers around keyboardist James K. Lloyd's Jupiter 8 synthesizer chops. In that sense, it retains a level of period '80s kitsch with Lloyd tapping into the burgeoning rap music sound with synthesizer-generated record "scratching" and syncopated drum beats. To these ends, "For the Fun of It" is a Furious Five-ready single minus the rapping while "It's Getting Hot in Here" sounds like "Freedom Jazz Dance" played on a Casio keyboard. Other tracks including the "quiet storm" ballads "It's Time for Love" and danceable "Fo-Fi Fo" feature stellar vocals from bassist Cedric A. Napoleon. ~ Matt Collar