Stuart Hart: Inner Voice

This is pretty solid — if not terribly original — fusion from the bespectacled, Paul Reed Smith-wielding Stuart Hart. With a rotating roster that includes the likes of Gary Thomas on sax, Paul Bollenback on second guitar, Evan Miller on keys, Matt Garrison on bass, and Dennis Chambers on drums, Hart delivers funky tunes and high-energy, fuzzed-out guitar playing. There are echoes of the Yellowjackets, Scott Henderson, Electric Outlet -era John Scofield, that sort of thing. Paul Bollenback’s clean sound contrasts well with Hart’s fuzztone on "Speaquinox" (great title, huh?) and the latin-flavored "The Green Pedal." In terms of all-out smoking and impressive ensemble work, "First Impressions" takes the cake. On the other hand, "Right from the Right," the longest track, is also the dullest. Hart’s writing can be uneven, but he’s a promising player, and he’s got the right guys backing him.