Artist: Mark Carter
Title Of Album: Smooth As Silk
Year Of Release: 2007-10-02
Label: MCP / The Orchard
Genre: Jazz, Bebop, Smooth Jazz
Quality: MP3 / Joint Stereo
Bitrate: VBR kbit/s / 44.1 Khz
Total Time: 42:27 min
Total Size: 60 mb
WebSite: www.markcarterproductions.com

Tracks:
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01 Walking In Rhythm [3:32]
02 There's That Girl [3:46]
03 Being With You [4:16]
04 Funky Like Dat! [4:14]
05 Talk To Me Brother [3:31]
06 Carnival Time [3:50]
07 I Know [5:21]
08 April's Kiss [4:42]
09 Old Days [3:55]
10 City Of Angels [5:24]

Sometimes, despite the buzz of urban edginess that permeates much of today’s contemporary jazz, it’s simply nice to relax to a smoother vibe. ‘Smooth As Silk’, the brand new CD by guitarist Mark Carter, is delivering the chance to do just that and, with telling guest appearance by Jeff Kashiwa and Greg Adams, the entire collection is a master class in checking the right boxes of smooth jazz. Indeed when I reviewed Mark’s previous album, the excellent ‘West Coast Groove’, in 2005 I described it as a tightly produced set of tracks with a distinctly R & B feel. It totally epitomized the west coast groove that its title suggested it might and now, with ‘Smooth As Silk’, Mark is again capturing that unique feeling of Southern California.

In over twenty five years of performing, Mark Carter has worked with Dave Koz, Eric Marienthal, Al Jarreau, Rogers Williams, The Drifters, The Coasters, and Engelbert Humperdink to name only a few. ‘Smooth As Silk’ is Mark’s third solo release and his understated handling of the opening track, ‘Walking In Rhythm’, really sets the tone. With trademark flugelhorn from Greg Adams this Blackbyrds classic sounds deliciously mellow while in equally tender vein is Marks version of the Smokey Robinson hit ‘Being With You’. This is the second of three well chosen covers and it really flows but perhaps even better is the Luther Vandross tune ‘I Know’. Here, Carter’s interplay with Jeff Kashiwa on sax is quite superb and they do it again with ‘Funky Like Dat’. Up tempo but never out of control it is one of seven Mark Carter originals and is a track that really fits with the mood of the album. Much the same can be said for the tight mid tempo ‘Talk To Me Brother’ and when Carter’s playing gets jazzy and intricate for ‘Old Days’ the sax of Sean Holt and keyboards from Tim Redfield provide the perfect backdrop.

In fact Redfield is around throughout as performer, arranger and co-producer. His keyboards on the groovy ‘City Of Angels’ really shine and do so again with the retro tinged ‘There’s That Girl’. Greg Adams returns to duet with Carter on the stunningly romantic ‘April’s Kiss’ and when Carter ups the tempo for ‘Carnival Time’ he produces a real winner.

‘Smooth As Silk’ is a nice addition to this years crop of new music and with it Mark Carter is all set to put the smooth back into smooth jazz.