Artist : Najee
Album : Rising Sun
Label : Heads Up International
Genre : Jazz
Bitrate : 200 kbps avg
Source : CD (LP)
Playtime : 00:47:40 (71 MB)
Rls date : 2007-08-01
Store date : 2007-08-14
[Track List]
1. Clarity 4:23
2. Brazilian Affair 4:14
3. Child At Heart 4:14
4. Can't Wait Another Minute 4:12
5. Come What May 4:49
6. Out Of A Dream 4:54
7. Moody's Mood For Love 4:53
8. Still In Love 4:14
9. Romance The Night 4:06
10.Smooth Sailing 3:34
11.Rising Sun 4:07
Over twenty years since his debut Najee's Theme set the
pace for the explosion of urban vibes in the genre that
evolved into smooth jazz, the versatile New York based
saxman and flutist was still innovating in the mid-2000s.
After hanging and touring with Prince during the early
part of the decade, his signing with contemporary jazz and
world music mecca Heads Up--and releasing 2005's My Point
Of View--brought the Najee vibe to a whole new generation
of jazz and old school soul fans. Rising Sun was an even
more exciting and diverse date, with Najee drawing from a
wide range of pop, world and jazz influences to complement
trademark groove ballads ("Can't Wait Another Minute") and
lively light funk gems like "Come What May" and the
seriously jumpin' old school jam "Out Of A Dream." Both of
these sizzling horn textured tracks were co-penned by the
saxman with Pieces Of A Dream keyboardist James Lloyd, who
also produced tracks on My Point Of View. Najee creates an
appealing hybrid of pop, samba and retro soul keyboard
elements on the percussive "Brazilian Affair," which
follows the opening track, a crunchy grooving, organic
take on John Mayer's infectious "Clarity", a cut truly
reflective of Najee's love for this era's
singer-songwriter vibe. Though the flute had
unfortunately, fallen out of favor on smooth jazz radio by
the current decade, it's always been a part of Najee's
deeper artistry; the wistful "Child At Heart" and the
seductive, samba-tinged title track are perfect showcases
for this. Speaking of which, a chance encounter at an NYC
woodwind store with the legendary James Moody led to one
of Rising Sun's most compelling tracks, a highly lyrical,
improvisation-rich sax-driven reading of "Moody's Mood For
Love." Straight ahead jazz critics have found it easy to
dismiss Najee as a groove happy lightweight over the
years, but tracks like this--and so much of the powerful
playing on this disc--proved once and for all that he's a
serious jazz player. Who just happens to like commercial
R&B and play it like nobody's business.