Search - Mark Whitfield :: Mark Whitfield

Schizophrenic offering

Tyler Smith | Denver, CO United States | 03/06/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I happen to think Mark is one of the best young guitarists out there, but this is his weakest recorded offering. The problem is not so much in his playing as in the selection of material, which may leave you wondering how many cooks contributed to this particular broth.The first cut, "Strolling," gets the CD off to an inauspicious beginning. From its opening synthesized strains, we are in "smooth jazz" territory: the music lacks an edge, the drum beat is robotic, and the bland, colorless keyboard provides little drive for Whitfield to play off of.Things improve with the second cut, a cover of Miles' "Freddy Freeloader." The backing loosens up, allowing Whitfield to construct a freely flowing solo that winds up with some Wes Montgomery-flavored chording. Just as quickly, however, we get a tepid cover of Stevie Wonder's "That Girl." Later, there's an embarrassment entitled "Sweet, Sweet Love," complete with inane lyrics warbled by Chris Walker.And that's the pattern for the rest of the CD: empty blandishments followed by the kind of smart, tightly played jazz that we expect from Whitfield.Why the dichotomy? A glance at the producer credits explains it all. The jazz cuts are produced by Matt Pierson, who has served ably in that role for Joshua Redman. The empty pop offerings were produced by Chris Walker. Pierson executive-produced, so I guess he has to take some of the blame for the final offering.If you are looking for a CD by Whitfield, skip this mixed bag and pick up any or all of the following: "The Marksman"; "True Blue"; or "Seventh Avenue Stroll," all of which are very satisfying, very listenable CDs that don't sacrifice jazz integrity for a lukewarm effort at pleasing everybody."

A Little Bit of Something for Every Jazz Taste

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 12/25/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I came across this CD at a discount music store after hearing one of the tracks blasting through the in-house system. Caught by the crispness and appeal of the cut played, I decided that nothing ventured, nothing gained. Why not buy it? I am a fan of contemporary jazz.



The disc turned out to be much better than my expectations. With an unfamiliar artist, one is often taking a chance that a complete CD may not measure up. However, this one does.



Whitfield and his production staff crafted a disc that covers the wide range that is today's jazz. Of course, the album is eleven years old now, but times have not changed that drastically and it sounds as "tight" today as it did then.



Two cuts represent the "fusion" movement of jazz, R & B, and pop: "Strollin'" and "Sweet, Sweet Love," while "You Know What I Like" would fit in any radio programmer's "quiet storm" format. The guitarist gives Stevie Wonder's "That Girl" gets a fresh facelift. "Maya" is heavy on the pop influence while "The Joy of Leave & Peace" melds jazz with a bossa nova beat. "More Than You Know" allows Whitfield to do the "accoustic thing," doing it solo sans accompaniment.



The remaining cuts are more traditional and should satisfy those that long for the days of smoke-filled, cool nightspots where Miles and Dizzy and Charlie played into the wee hours of the morning.



Whitfield would fit right in with these legends."

Fantastic but not Mark's best

G. Bates | Rockford, IL USA | 08/26/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am biased. It is hard for me to look at Whtifield's music and be disappointed. This project is heavy on instrumetnal guitar jams. Another effort in Whitfield distinguishing himself from themany others in this area. If you are debating betweenthis and others by Whitfiled, buy 7th Avenue Stroll."