Smooth (Gerald Albright album)

Last updated

Smooth
Gerald Albright - Smooth.jpg
Studio album by
Released1994
StudioAire L.A. (Glendale, California)
  • Bright Music (Moorpark, California)
Genre R&B, jazz
Label Atlantic [1]
Producer
Gerald Albright chronology
Dream Come True
(1991)
Smooth
(1994)
Giving Myself to You
(1995)

Smooth is the fourth studio album by the American musician Gerald Albright, released in 1994 on Atlantic Records. [2] [3] The album peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No. 2 on both the Billboard Jazz Albums and Contemporary Jazz Albums charts. [4]

Contents

Production

Albright strove to create an R&B album; in addition to saxophone, he also played flute and keyboards. [5] [6] Vesta Williams, Lalah Hathaway, and Will Downing are among the many vocalists on the album. [7] [8] [9] Howard Hewett sang on the cover of "This Is for the Lover in You". [10] Stanley Clarke played bass on "Sedona". [11] The liner notes were written by Magic Johnson. [12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Charlotte Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]

The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Albright offers predictably melodic, safe solos that, for the most part, fail to engage the listener." [9] The Daily Breeze determined that Albright "turns in softly percussive, overly slick readings of soul-jazz mood pieces... He ignores chances to improvise or offer inventive ideas." [16] The Charlotte Observer deemed the album "Albright's breakthrough work," writing that "it's obvious Albright has put a lot of energy into this effort." [14] The Buffalo News considered the music "full of slinky rhythms, gossamer textures and sensuous, lazy melodies." [12]

AllMusic called the album "a tasty if somewhat typical journey through the land of quiet storm and light funk." [13]

Accolades

Smooth was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for "Best Jazz Album". [17]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Don't Worry About It"Gerald Albright4:33
2."I Surrender"Albright5:.50
3."Sweet Baby"Albright, Arvel McClinton5:11
4."This Is for the Lover in You" Howard Hewett, Dana Meyers4:44
5."G & Lee"Albright6:31
6."Just 2 B with You"Albright, Chuckii Booker 5:08
7."Anniversary" Raphael Saadiq, Carl Wheeler4:33
8."Passion"Albright, Travon Potts6:21
9."Sedona"Albright, Potts5:36
10."Say It with Feeling"Albright5:36

Personnel

Production

References

  1. Norment, Lynn (May 1994). "Sounding Off". Ebony. Vol. 49, no. 7. p. 23.
  2. "Gerald Albright Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. Bacon, Tony; Gelly, Dave (August 29, 2000). Masters of Jazz Saxophone. Hal Leonard Corporation.
  4. "Gerald Albright Chart History". Billboard.
  5. Pilato, Bruce (September 23, 1994). "Gerald Albright Keeps It Nice and Smooth". USA Today.
  6. "Five touring performers joining forces...". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. November 13, 1994. p. 1E.
  7. Hasson, Bill (August–September 1994). "Earworthy". American Visions. Vol. 9, no. 4. p. 49.
  8. Bourne, Kay (January 12, 1995). "Orpheum to host jazzman Albright". Bay State Banner. No. 17. p. 14.
  9. 1 2 3 Stewart, Zan (May 8, 1994). "Gerald Albright, 'Smooth'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 51.
  10. Joyce, Mike (June 3, 1994). "Festival Artists Keep the Beat". The Washington Post. p. N19.
  11. 1 2 MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 9.
  12. 1 2 Kunz, Mary (August 5, 1994). "Silky". The Buffalo News. p. G10.
  13. 1 2 "Gerald Albright Smooth". AllMusic.
  14. 1 2 "Jazz". The Charlotte Observer. July 1, 1994. p. 7F.
  15. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 101.
  16. Tranfa, Anthony D. (April 22, 1994). "Gerald Albright, 'Smooth'". Daily Breeze. p. K11.
  17. Maples, Tina (March 12, 1995). "Soul Train Awards hurtles toward a switch". The Milwaukee Journal. p. E3.