A progressive jazz/rock ensemble with considerable chops, Turning Point is an Arizona based studio and bar band with a long musical history in the Southwest area. This is their sixth album. Although certainly not straight ahead or mainstream by any Jazz standard,, the players throw in some interesting touches: Greek sting instruments on Chick Corea's "Spain", one of the CD best tracks, and strong flamenco/Greek guitar work throughout the date. Funk and groove based, the band is obviously a tight unit. They use Jazz elements in more of a smooth-Jazz, rock-out kind of way. This is the kind of band that opens for Boney James, Michael McDonald, Craig Chaquico, and Earl Klugh. Get the picture? A CD like this, even though pleasant enough, is not a Jazz CD. Heavy bass thumping, synth washes, no changes in the music, all point to pop. I almost couldn't get through it the first time, but the playing deserves a listen. Great tone on guest
Domonic Amato's tenor sax tracks, interesting Greek touches (the two founding brothers are of Greek decent), and tasty acoustic guitar work are mixed into many of the tracks. The tune "Soldier's Lullaby" was written for our guys in Iraq, and has a nice Paul Winter Consort feel to it. The last track, "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" was inspired by the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster in 2003. But smooth Jazz is still Smooth Jazz. OK, I got it...this CD is Joyce Cooling meets Spyro Gyro. And it deserves no further words from me
PSI do love Joyce Cooling, and have watched her career grow over the years. She serves as a good comparison guitar-wise with this band..
-Michael Handler
Copyright Jazz Now, September 2005, all rights reserved.
Jazz Now Interactive September 2005 Vol 15 No. 5 - Table of Contents
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