[.ca] Pecan Tree

From Amazon.co.uk:
As cofounder of soul-jazz group The Crusaders and a solo artist who has produced some memorable recordings, from Rainbow Seeker to Spellbound, pianist Joe Sample has been a steady groovemaker for over four decades. This CD is a tribute to the source of his down-home grooves: his hometown Houston, Texas. It's where Sample honed his bluesy, Creole-coded, Ramsey-Lewis-like pianisms that effortlessly blend, Latin, R & B, classical and funk idioms into a spicy east Texas musical gumbo. Tunes like the title track, "Hot and Humid", and "Spanish Moss" highlight Sample's fluid and soulful solos and in-the-pocket-swing. Sample's tender treatment of the old r & b standard "With These Hands" is graced by the urgent vocals of the ex-Shalamar vocalist Howard Hewitt. "No One to Blame" and the thoughtful ballad "Fools Gold" feature the fresh voice of newcomer Lizz Wright. Throughout this pleasing document, Joe Sample has shown us where his enduring and enchanting musicianship comes from. --Eugene Holley, Jr

Chronique amazon.fr:
Pianiste des Crusaders, Joe Sample a eu un parcours très éclectique dans la scène jazz, passant du bop à la variété, de la scène au studio, accompagnant des purs produits jazz ou invitant des artistes situés hors de cette sphère. Le son gospel et ses réitérations ne sont jamais bien loin dans la musique de Sample. L'enregistrement est à la mesure de la carrière du pianiste : très diversifié. Toutes les références et les influences se côtoient dans des interprétations signées du pianiste, où l'on retrouve un traitement rythmique de la main gauche presque religieux. Avec une main droite qui n'oublie pas la larme parfois accentuée des aigus, et le soutien de chanteuses parfois sirupeuses, on obtient un enregistrement charmant qui cherche l'approbation d'une musique accomplie par les ans. --Jean-Michel Schlosser

You'll Like It (Trust Me, YOU WILL).:
It's kind of strange that people my age would most likely be listening to hip-hop/R & B music instead of this. NOT ME! This is just the kind of sound I was looking for, especially since what is known as "smooth jazz" now mainly consists of some soprano sax-playing flavor of the month doing his Kenny G./Boney James/Najee schtick over a generic Casio beat. Good thing Joe Sample was raised in the "old school" style of music making (utlizing real instruments, inspired compositions, and quality singers), because those are the very things that attracted me to his 'Pecan Tree' album in the first place. Note: get this album not only for ex-Shalamar member Howard Hewett's engaging performances (particularly on the standard "With These Hands"), but also for newcomer Lizz Wright's vocal debut on two tracks contained within. I have a feeling that with her enormous talent she just might survive the cut-throat music industry, if she doesn't get slept on first!

Just Great:
Pure sample of Mr Sample's great musical taste. The addisonal vocal song are just great.If you want to relax with a good book, while listenning this album,you will notice a little smile in the corner of your mouth...

Best Since 1996:
This is the best CD Joe Sample has released since 1996. In the past, Sample has consistently released fantastic albums that listeners have revisted time and again (himself included), but lately, for some unknown reason, Sample hit a period of stagnation. He re-released and re-performed old songs (which were good, but lacked creativity) and also released works which weren't of the quality that most are used to. Although, a few tracks from "The Song Lives On" are great, the album as a whole just states that he lost a spark. This may have been involved with his recent movement around record labels from Warner Bros. (a label that held sample for over 30 years). Now, Sample is back, writing and performing like he used to and making music as good as his last truly great CD, "Old Places Old Faces." The chord structure, heavy handedness, and composition is at a present high, and hopefully this will last for quite a while.

Awesome:
How many ways can you say awesome? Great cd! I didn't think he could top his collaborative effort with Lala Hathaway, but he has! Start to finish---extremely relaxing. Must have!

Another winner!:
I'd probably like this CD more if he had only featured Lizz Wright, instead of her and Howard Hewett. I can't get past the first 5 songs, because I only want to hear Lizz. Anyway, if you're a Joe Sample fan, it's worth the money. By the way, is it me or does "The Texas Two Step" start off sounding like "A Night in Tunisia?"

• The Pecan Tree
• Hot And Humid
• No One But Myself To Blame
• X Marks The Spot (Marie Laveau)
• Fool's Gold
• Spanish Moss
• In A Heartbeat
• El Dorado
• With These Hands
• The Texas Two Step
• Memories