By
Three,
Bob James -- the pianist, composer, and arranger -- was deep into jazz-funk. The five tracks here reflect his obsession with hard, danceable grooves that take as much from the soul-jazz book as they do his years with CTI. Using many of the same session players he bonded with at his former label -- including
Eric Gale,
Hugh McCracken,
Hubert Laws,
Will Lee, and
Harvey Mason -- and a large host of stellar horn players (among them
Lew Soloff and
Jon Faddis),
James offers five selections of simple but fun jazz-pop. On "One Mint Julep,"
Grover Washington's tenor goes head to head with
James' Rhodes and synths. "Women of Ireland" is a solid take on the ballad with fine guitar work from
Gale as a contrast to the watershed of strings. The laid-back, space groove contains another killer solo by
Washington, while "Westchester Lady" borders on disco without ever falling headlong into it. The closer, "Jamaica Farewell," is another shimmering ballad with a whistle solo by
Washington playing the melody. The faux-reggae rhythm and slippery bassline are the only things that keep it from slipping into a lightweight ether. Although the sound here is somewhat dated, the feel is timeless. ~ Thom Jurek