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New Beginnings, reflects recent transitions in Gerald Albright's life, as he has moved from his longtime home of Los Angeles to the suburbs of Denver. This is Gerald's debut album on Peak Records (although it is his 9th solo studio release), and it is certainly one of the best albums of his well-established career.
Take the lead track (and first radio single) "We Got the Groove," which is nothing short of a breath of fresh air. Gerald goes all out, playing not only alto and tenor sax, but also flute, bass, and bari sax as well. The bari sax in particular gives this song its unique flair - this is not your stereotypical smooth jazz song! After starting off with this truly unique track, the album contains a good balance of funky, under-produced, live-sounding jazzy pieces (such as "New Beginnings," "Georgia On My Mind," and "Big Shoes") and more heavily-produced, beat heavy, smooth jazz grooves (such as "Deep Into My Soul," "I Want Somebody," and "I Need You").
There's a couple of cover tracks on the album, including the aforementioned "Georgia On My Mind" as well as a fantastic remake of "And the Beat Goes On" featuring two of the original members of The Whispers on background vocals.
The list of producers on the album is solid: Jeff Lorber, Rex Rideout, Chuckii Booker, Luther "Mano" Hanes, and even Gerald himself on a few tracks. The Lorber-produced "Take Your Time" sounds like the musical continuation of the song "Sun Ra" from Lorber's album Flipside. Special guest artists include Chris Botti, Paul Jackson Jr., and Jeff Lorber (on both keys and guitar).
The album ends on a perfect note, with a reprise of "Georgia On My Mind" that captures the fantastic feeling of hearing Gerald perform live. In total, there are 12 tracks on New Beginnings, and they are all worth listening to. Gerald Albright has had a very long and successful career in contemporary jazz, and New Beginnings shows that he still has a lot more to offer.
This Review Copyrighted 2006 by J. Smith
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