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Bob Baldwin - For You - EXCDP30

Bob previously with Atlantic Jazz and Shanichie cuts his first album of jazz fusion and smooth soul for Expansion. This is a flowing set of well produced and varied jazz fusion with lots of percussion and Latin beats, kicking of with 'Sounds of Brazil'.

'Welcome to the games' is a midtempo and a s catchy and commercial as this instrumental genre will take you. There are three guest vocal cuts on the album, the first being Porter Carroll Junior on 'For You', the title cut of mellow excellence.

'Home from work' is more of a straight jazz piano thing, before the next vocalist is introduced, the excellent Sharon Bryant on 'Freedom Parkway'. Unfortunately despite a nice Latin beat this is quite disappointing, such as what we expect from Sharon - here she's not as upfront as you'd maybe expect.

There is then Bob's tribute to Maurice White, of Earth Wind and Fire, Bob actually taking vocal duty such as it is, reasonably successfully taking on that style, but not really for me. Much better is the 'proper' vocal of the third guest James Robinson on 'Stay'. James, of course, was with Change after Luther Vandross and this is an exceptional and soulful track - for me easily the best on the album.

'My Soul Mate' is a tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11th and on here the keyboards are so deep.......but on 'Yesterday' they are so light and yes my preference is easily for the former! Why do these middle of the road items always come through on these kind of albume - they even used to way back on CTI/Kudu, particularly as we then go into three excellent self penned compositions, 'US state of mind' - mellow and saxy - 'The Ambassador' - jazz bar 3 piece - 'Downtown Underground' - funky.

Whilst there is much to commend on this album for it's musicianship and versatility it will be the James Robinson track that sticks mostly in my mind, though I do particularly like 'Downtown Underground' and the depth of 'Soul Mate'