Smoothjazz.com Review
Sandy Shore | Monterey, CA | 04/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a founding member of the seminal group The Jazz Crusaders, Wilton Felder has established himself, and then some, in the contemporary jazz arena, and definitely in the Smooth Jazz genre with his numerous solo projects over the years. His latest, LET'S SPEND SOME TIME, is another strong outing from the sax master from Houston, and one that's already garnering significant airplay with its lead-off single, "Smoke House." The vibe on this album is funky smooth, which makes for an extremely enjoyable listen from first note to last. Accustomed to surrounding himself with A-List players, Mr. Felder makes no exception on this project. World-class musicians are on board, including horn player George Shaw, whose counterpoint to Wilton's sax with trumpet, muted trumpet, and flugelhorn is quite effective. Other top names, including Tim Heintz on keys and synth, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Michael Adams on drums round out the band and add to the depth of musicianship in clear evidence throughout the recording. There are also a couple of very tasty vocals in this collection, featuring A.J. Luke..."As Long As I'm with You" and "No One," giving a nice balance to the overall flow of the project. I like it, and so will you. It's in-the-pocket smooth, funky jazz from one of the legends of "jazz-fusion." Wilton Felder's got himself a hit with LET'S SPEND SOME TIME; just one listen, and you'll do just that, spend some time listening again and again to this outstanding new release. ~SCOTT O'BRIEN"
A Long Time Coming!
Sherman L. Dantzler | Grand Blanc, MI United States | 05/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From the late 50's to the late 80's Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Stix Hooper and later Wayne Henderson dazzled us with the sounds of the Jazz Crusaders. In the 90's Wilton had some solo releases (Nocturnal Moods), (Forever Always), and (Love is a Rush). None of these really revealed his Crusader like success, but you knew the greatness was still lurking inside. This project reveals the old school and some new school greatness. `Smoke House' is already cooking in the Smooth Jazz arena. The title cut `Let's Spend Some Time' brings out the excellent horn work of George Shaw. `High Water' gets you stomping your feet to a strong up-tempo beat. The vocal effort of A.J. Luke `No One' and 'As Long As I'm with You' fits nicely in the mix for the CD (the instrumental version is good also). Overall you long time Crusader fans will appreciate Wilton's work on this one. It has been a long time coming, but it was worth waiting for! The personnel rounds out with Cornell Ward, Tim Heintz (keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Chuck Rainey (electric bass); Michael Adams (drums, drum machine, percussion). Good job my Brother ~the JazzeOne"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1