Roger Smith, American musician, known as keyboarder of funk band Tower of Power.
While Roger Smith expands his repertoire on his second album, Both Sides, he runs everything through his smooth jazz filter, so both the originals and covers sound similar.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, since he has a pleasant, friendly style, but ultimately Both Sides doesn't amount to much more than background music. Smith's music is about maintaining a smooth groove, which means that the musicians -- including Gerald Albright, Paul Jackson, Jr., Luis Conte, Nelson Rangell, Phil Perry, Ricky Minor, and Michael O'Neil -- never take the songs in unexpected directions or launch into long improvistory solos.
Of course, that won't be a problem for fans of Smith's first album, since this delivers a similar batch of songs equally well, but it does mean that it's not of much interest to jazz purists.
I like jazz that is smooth, not raucous. I suppose you could call Both Sides "smooth", but the word that sums up this album for me is "bland," never a word you want to apply to the music you're hearing.
Yes, a number of reviewers have raved about the first song, "Off the Hook," and it is a saucy little number, bouncy and rhythmic, with a delightful piano beat. Unfortunately "Hook" is 4 minutes on a CD that is nearly an hour long. Clearly, Smith can play the keyboard, but somehow can't keep up the pace.
Tracklist
1. Off The Hook (Roger Smith & Ronnie Foster) - 3:59
2. Comes With The Deal (Roger Smith) - 4:52
3. Both Sides (Roger Smith) - 4:49
4. Change The World (Gordon Kennedy, Tommy Sims & Wayne Kirkpatrick) - 4:35
5. Mix It With Love (Roger Smith, Ronnie Foster & Cornelious S. Daniels) - 4:57
6. Flevoland (Roger Smith & Tony Hodson) - 4:44
7. Only Wanna Be With You (Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde & Andy Goldmark) - 5:29
8. Bring It On (Seal, Gus Isidore, Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Chris Bruce & Carmen Rizzo) - 5:00
9. Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) - 4:43
10. In Your Arms (Roger Smith & Susaye Green Coton) - 5:01
11. Hopscotch (Joe Chambers & Roger Smith) - 2:15
Credits
Produced by Ronnie Foster
Recorded & Mixed by Don Murray & Ronnie Foster at Bimmer Music Co., Thousand Oaks, CA
Mastered by Alan Yoshida at A&M Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Personnel
Paul Jackson Jr. : Guitars on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
Luis Conte : Percussion on tracks 1, 5
Ricky Minor : Bass on tracks 2, 3
Gerald Albright : Alto Sax on track 2
Nelson Rangell : Alto Sax on track 4
Michael O'Neill : Guitar on track 7
Phil Perry : Vocals on track 7
Susaye Green Coton : Vocal on track 10
Kathryn Collier, Laron P. Christopher, Bill Engram & Susaye Green Coton : Background vocals on track 08
Ronnie Foster : Vocals on tracks 4, 5
Daniel Bajarano : Drums on track 1
Companies, etc.
- Copyright © – Miramar Images, Inc.
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Miramar Images, Inc.
- Recorded At – Bimmer Music
- Mixed At – Bimmer Music
- Mastered At – A&M Mastering Studios
- Pressed By – Allied DT
Notes
Released: 1999
Genre: Smooth Soul
Total Time: 50:29
Label - Miramar
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