Jazz
Urban
Smooth Jazz
Crossover Jazz
Contemporary Jazz
R&B
Walter Beasley (vocals, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone)
Craig Glanville (vocals, percussion); Larry McClellan (trombone); Andrew Sherman, Mark Johnson (keyboards, programming); Mike Ricchiuti, Dow Brain (keyboards); Jeff Lockhart, Chuck Loeb (guitar); Ron Mahdi (acoustic bass); Ron Jerkins, Baron Browne (bass); David Cole, Brian Dunne (drums); Ricardo Monzone (percussion)
Walter Beasley's 2004 release The Classic R&B Collection makes his debt to smooth soul music crystal clear. It collects ten songs from his stay at Shanachie Records (five from Tonight We Love, two from Won't You Let Me Love You, one each from Rendezvous and For Your Pleasure as well as one from Chuck Loeb's Listen) that are drawn from such soul masters as Roberta Flack ("Killing Me Softly"), Al Green ("Let's Stay Together"), Stevie Wonder ("Visions"), and the Temptations ("My Girl"). Beasley's versions match his sweet alto tone with heavily synthesized but pleasant smooth jazz backings that provide for an entirely inoffensive listen. It certainly won't make anyone forget the originals, but it is good solid smooth jazz by one of the masters of the form.
---Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
Walter Beasley
Active Decades: '80s, '90s and '00s
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Urban, Fusion, Contemporary Jazz, Crossover Jazz, Smooth Jazz
An R&B-ish player whose music sometimes crosses over into jazz, Walter Beasley's sound is a perfect paradigm for defining "contemporary" or "smooth" jazz, and he a talented musician. After briefly playing trumpet, Beasley switched to saxophone when he was nine and was soon inspired by Grover Washington, Jr. He attended Berklee College and, after graduating at age 22, became one of the school's teachers. In 1987, Beasley released his first self-titled album and since then has recorded two sets for Mercury and several for Shanachie (culminating with Rendezvous in 2002), in addition to often accompanying R&B singers. In 2005, he released his debut for Heads-Up, For Her. In 2006, Shanchie released Live, a concert club set from 1998. The studio album Ready for Love followed in 2007.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
