In 1995, guitarist
Chuck Loeb, keyboardist
Mitch Forman, bassist
Anthony Jackson, and drummer
Wolfgang Haffner offered up a cool middle ground for those whose instrumental tastes fall between smooth jazz and bebop; as Metro, the band released the edgy yet often laid-back
Tree People on Lipstick Records, which harked back to the fusion heydays of the 1970s, when jamming improvisations ruled and radio didn't worry so much about offending anyone's ears. With
Victor Bailey replacing
Jackson, Metro finally re-emerged with this eclectic effort, which blends
Loeb's keen pop/rock sensibilities with
Forman's obvious love for both elegant piano jazz and retro-funk and -blues. The inviting
Metrocafe rises and falls on the dynamic interaction between these two musical styles. The graceful, film score-like "House and Home" features
Loeb's eloquent acoustic subtlety caressed by both
Forman's acoustic piano harmony and synth orchestra; then
Forman takes over the lead melody, which grows slightly more aggressive and improvisational as he is egged on by
Haffner's march-like drum lines.
Forman's strong Rhodes playing, along with
Bailey's bubbling bass, is the driving force behind the title track, which also features
Loeb's balance of insanity and grace.
Loeb has long used his wife, vocalist
Carmen Cuesta, on his solo albums, and her wordless vocals add a touch of exotica and silkiness to the perky Brazilian-flavored "It's All Good."
Loeb always seems to hold back on his popular smooth jazz recordings, and it's good to hear him go for broke with his crisp yet expansive lines on funk-filled jams like "Month of Sundays." ~ Jonathan Widran