Al DeGregoris: All In Good Time

Ask any chef worth their salt and they'll tell you that sometimes a followed-to-the-letter recipe can easily —and mysteriously —fall short of culinary delight. It's that unique dollop of creative juice and spoonfuls of love for the cooking that results in a uniquely special dish. With All In Good Time renowned keyboardist and smooth jazz songsmith, Al DeGregoris and his All-Star mates demonstrate that they have more than enough of both to whip up a recording worthy of a musical five-star Zagat.

Long a fixture on the smooth jazz scene, DeGregoris, an award-winning composer, has pulled together some of the business's top smooth jazz artists and they collectively offer up ten crisply performed and intensely enjoyable selections. This is simply smooth jazz at its best—grooves that cover the gamut from laid-back to fairly funky, melodies that inexplicably ear-worm and energized solos that inspire. With celebrated performers such as Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal, Nils and Chuck Loeb in the musical kitchen, a feast is about to be served.

"JD's Groove" sets the silky tone for the session with DeGregoris's keys twinkling over echoing guitar and subdued pulses below. A funkier-feeling "Into the Night" has a sing-song quality to its melodic hook—as does the call-response offering, "Hey You," with saxophonist Marienthal hip-wading in the funky musical water with DeGregoris's whites and blacks joining in.

Original compositions—and superb compositional originality ("Autumn Chill," "After A Rain") ---are featured exclusively on this musical menu. DeGregoris, a savvy composer, knows his genre inside and out. Whether composing alone or co-authoring selections here with Jeff Lorber or Nils, the compositional content is neatly constructed, presenting rhythmically variant melodies that are elegantly simple, easily approachable and vividly memorable.

The musicianship on All In Good Time is impeccable. DeGregoris's keyboarding both melodically and in his solo forays is genre-ideal. Guitarist Nils shines bright throughout in both solo and support roles. And, the various rhythm section collaborations drive the frontlines both relentlessly ("All In Good Time") and with perfectly subdued energy. It all blends beautifully.

With All In Good Time Al DeGregoris and help offer us a dish that is served up smooth, incredibly well-done and musically delicious. Dig in.