Search - Jay Soto :: Stay a While

George G. (Geo) from W SPRINGFIELD, MA
Reviewed on 9/22/2010...

Instrumental Jazz guitar songs akin to George Benson and a few songs with vocals.
Very nice groove thruout. Very good late night and driving music.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Smoothjazz.com Review

Sandy Shore | Monterey, CA | 05/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is unquestionably the big breakout album for Phoenix-based guitarist Jay Soto. This guy's got the goods... the jazz chops, the looks, the poise, the panache. Add to those elements the all-star support team (Jeff Lorber, Paul Brown, Michael Lington, Euge Groove, and Jeffrey Osborne) and you've got a killer sophomore release that's already showing its stuff as it moves quickly up the Smooth Jazz charts. If you like Jeff Golub, Paul Brown and Chris Standring then you're gonna love Jay Soto. His playing is superb, and STAY AWHILE has that magical quality about it that marks it as a hit effort. The songs... every one of them... are solid, led by the first radio single, "Slammin'," which is rocketing up the charts. Ten of the tunes are either written or co-written by Jay... there's one cover, Stevie Wonder's "Send One Your Love," which sparkles with Paul Brown's production and Michael Lington's alto sax work. Then there's a Paul Brown original, "Jaywalking," that cranks out some energetic funk with the help of Euge Groove; and we can't forget Jeffrey Osborne's classy, smooth vocal on "Love Has Found a Way." So, let's review: Great songs, world-class production, as you would expect from people like Lorber, Brown, and Darren Rahn (Wayman Tisdale, Jonathan Butler), and a magical vibe. The result: An album that stacks up beautifully against all guitar albums on today's Smooth Jazz charts. Jay Soto's STAY AWHILE is a no-brainer for my "highly recommended" list! ~SANDY SHORE"

This Should Be Your Summer Cruise CD

Gregory M. Balas | Phoenix, AZ | 06/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the CD that you'll want to pop into your car for that summer trip. Hopefully, it will turn that frown after you fill up your gas tank into a grin. It is an extremely uplifting and energetic album. You can tell that despite wearing the mantle of both musician and writer, that Mr. Soto is just having fun on this CD cutting loose. I think that allowing jazz icons like Jeff Lorber and Paul Brown and company to do the producing really allowed him to concentrate on the other fun stuff ... like playing. The album is great from start to finish. In addition, the mastering and sound quality are excellent. In this age of numerous great contemporary jazz guitarists, I think Mr. Soto stands out because being also an accomplished pianist, his tunes don't sound like a lot of the other guitarists. In any event, some of the tracks that stand out on this CD are "Stay A While," (the ultimate cruising song), "Love Has Found A Way," (a beautifully written vocal tune that Jeffery Osborne just takes the ball and runs with), "Slammin'," (an extremely fun and funky tune, which looks as though will be the hit single off of the CD), and "Daydreamin,'" which takes me back to my youth in the 1970s, of listening to those classic CTI recordings. Also, being a lover of the saxophone, I have to send out my props to Michael Lington who contributes some beautiful playing on this record, just like he did on Mr. Soto's first CD, "A Long Time Coming." There's definitely something for everyone on this CD, and definitely no sophomore jinx for this jazz artist with this fun and funky release. Go out and pick it up today and start cruising down the highway!"