Search - Eric Marienthal :: Turn Up the Heat

Marienthal moves forward with smooth soul and jazz

Dr.D.Treharne | Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom | 09/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Eric Marienthal remains the focus of all the tracks on this album, but with support from a wide range of guests. Perhaps most central of these is Jeff Lorber who arranged a couple of the tracks and adds programming to others. There's also help from Rick Braun ("Lefty's Lounge"), Chris Botti ("Sugar") and Robben Ford ("Hangin' on the boardwalk"). Marienthal uses a basic section of Dave Hooper (drums) Alex Al ( bass) and Russ Freeman (guitars) on most of the tracks. He has established a recognisably personal tone on alto sax and weaves around the other musicians, adding soprano and baritone sax outings on a couple of the tracks. The vocal tracks "Take it to the streets" (Alan Harris) and "Love don't live here" (Deniece Williams) add further breadth to the repetoire.Personal favourites are "Everything she wants" with some excellent nylon stringed guitar work from Freeman, Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar" which has added brass, and the Russ Freeman composition "Rendezvous" with added percussion from Rafael Solano. This is a well rounded collection that moves Mariethal even more firmly into the "must have" part of the smooth jazz market."

Stuck in smoothness....

bergfuehrer | 11/16/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Eric's music is part of my life since his days with the GRP label and the Chick Corea Electric Band. What a time, what a brilliant music and what a sax-player!
The first song I heard from his latest album was "One day in Venice" and I like it. The rest is what we call Smooth jazz - but too smooth - too trivial melodies - just a typical record to be played in the smooth Jazz radio stations.
Money talks - musical performance looses.
What a disappointment."

SUPERB !!

H. J. Sandford | Yorkshire, England | 10/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a die hard Rippingtons fan and I bought this album on the strength that its produced and has appearances by Russ Freeman. Prior to its purchase I didnt have any of Eric's work and a fondness for passionate sax playing had me drawn to this album. I'm sorry I dont have the eloquent words and all I can say is this album is quite simply superb!! I'm wearing out my cd player with this album alone. What an absolute first class job and can only profer my apologies that it took me so long to discover his talent. If you like spirited sax playing then this is your baby!! Its not what I would necessarily call smooth jazz but quite frankly who cares when he's producing stuff like this. The tracks are superb one after another, good down to the very last drop. It was hard to distinguish my favourite but I have to confess my finger does linger over the replay button quite a lot on track 5 "Love Don't Live Here" which is something coming from someone who doesnt normally favour the vocal stuff. Best money I spent on an album in ages !!!!"