Recorded with an exemplary supporting cast featuring pianist
Don Blackman, guitarist
Eric Gale, and saxophonist
Michael Brecker,
Sinbad explores the extremes of
Weldon Irvine's music, juxtaposing several of the keyboardist's funkiest, most energetic grooves to date alongside mellow, contemplative performances of uncommon intricacy and beauty. Inspired in both sound and spirit by the soul-searching Motown efforts of
Marvin Gaye and
Stevie Wonder, complete with covers of their respective "What's Going On" and "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing,"
Sinbad contrasts the elegant soul-jazz contours and luminous, horn-driven arrangements of the title cut and "Do Something for Yourself" alongside the nuances and soft pastels of "I Love You" and "Music Is the Key." The resiliency of
Irvine's vision and the vibrant performances of his collaborators nevertheless create a kind of yin-yang dynamic that enables the album's divided soul to operate in harmony. ~ Jason Ankeny