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No doubt the title of Unconditional applies to the love of God that pervades his music and life, but like most of Whalum's efforts, this collection can be enjoyed by a wide audience. The centerpiece title song isn't blatantly gospel, but Whalum's textured multiple tenor lines rise powerfully towards the heavens like a soaring choir after making their main melodic hook statements. At one point, Whalum improvises crisply over Greg Phillinganes' simmering Rhodes as Luis Conte's percussion dances around him. "Now Till Forever" begins with a more meditative, smoky approach before Whalum, backed by John Stoddart's soulful wordless vocals, puts a little more oomph in the chorus. On "Playing With Fire," Whalum's soaring lines are answered and expounded upon by the balmy acoustic guitar breezes of Peter White; late in the tune, Whalum textures his sax to sound like a horn section, weaving that around White's sly lines. Gregg Karukas' moody keyboards and some colorful handclap effects help Whalum find some church in 'N Sync's "God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You"; Tim Heintz's shimmering organ harmonies have the same gospel effect on a percussive cover of Macy Gray's "I Try," whose hook is also played as a one-man horn section. Whalum stretches out the slammin' funk and heartfelt meditations to over seven minutes on the cleverly titled "Groverworked and Underpaid," bouncing gleefully over Phillinganes' throbbing Rhodes and Paul Jackson Jr.'s plucky electric guitar, before improvising liberally. This kind of track represents a true risk for a smooth jazz album, but it seems Whalum was more concerned with portraying his feelings about the recently departed Grover Washington, Jr. and his inspiration honestly.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo
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Tim Heintz, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lenny Castro, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - KIRK WHALUM, Composer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Brown, Composer, Producer, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Programming, Recording Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - TONY MAIDEN, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - ROBERTO VALLY, Composer, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Stoddart, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Tim Heintz, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Composer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - RAY BARDANI, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Brown, Producer, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Alex Al, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Jackson, Jr., Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lil' John Roberts, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Brown, Producer, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Gregg Karukas, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Evan a Rogers, ComposerLyricist - Carl Allen Sturken, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Tim Heintz, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Teddy Campbell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - RAY BARDANI, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Brown, Producer, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Alex Al, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Jackson, Jr., Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - RAY BARDANI, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Brown, Producer, Recording Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - TONY MAIDEN, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lil' John Roberts, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - SHAI, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marc Gay, ComposerLyricist - Dave Van Ronk, ComposerLyricist - Garfield Bright, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Tim Heintz, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Composer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - RAY BARDANI, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Brown, Composer, Producer, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Alex Al, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Jackson, Jr., Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lil' John Roberts, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Tim Heintz, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Ruzumna, ComposerLyricist - David Wilder, ComposerLyricist - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Brown, Producer, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - DAVID WOODS, Guitar, Synthesizer, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Natalie Mc Intyre, ComposerLyricist - Lim Jinsoo, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Composer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Brown, Composer, Producer, Recording Engineer, Drum Programming, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Peter White, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ROBERTO VALLY, Composer, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Keyboards, Alto Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Brown, Producer, Recording Engineer, Drum Programming, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - TONY MAIDEN, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SUE ANN CARWELL, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KETURAH CLAIBORNE, ComposerLyricist - Wendy Morten, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Tim Heintz, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Teddy Campbell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KIRK WHALUM, Composer, Alto Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - RAY BARDANI, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Brown, Producer, Mix Engineer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Stewart Whitmore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Alex Al, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Johnson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Jackson, Jr., Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Koji Egawa, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gregory, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
Album review
No doubt the title of Unconditional applies to the love of God that pervades his music and life, but like most of Whalum's efforts, this collection can be enjoyed by a wide audience. The centerpiece title song isn't blatantly gospel, but Whalum's textured multiple tenor lines rise powerfully towards the heavens like a soaring choir after making their main melodic hook statements. At one point, Whalum improvises crisply over Greg Phillinganes' simmering Rhodes as Luis Conte's percussion dances around him. "Now Till Forever" begins with a more meditative, smoky approach before Whalum, backed by John Stoddart's soulful wordless vocals, puts a little more oomph in the chorus. On "Playing With Fire," Whalum's soaring lines are answered and expounded upon by the balmy acoustic guitar breezes of Peter White; late in the tune, Whalum textures his sax to sound like a horn section, weaving that around White's sly lines. Gregg Karukas' moody keyboards and some colorful handclap effects help Whalum find some church in 'N Sync's "God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You"; Tim Heintz's shimmering organ harmonies have the same gospel effect on a percussive cover of Macy Gray's "I Try," whose hook is also played as a one-man horn section. Whalum stretches out the slammin' funk and heartfelt meditations to over seven minutes on the cleverly titled "Groverworked and Underpaid," bouncing gleefully over Phillinganes' throbbing Rhodes and Paul Jackson Jr.'s plucky electric guitar, before improvising liberally. This kind of track represents a true risk for a smooth jazz album, but it seems Whalum was more concerned with portraying his feelings about the recently departed Grover Washington, Jr. and his inspiration honestly.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:47:12
- Main artists: Kirk Whalum
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Craft Recordings
- Genre: Jazz
© 2000 Craft Recordings. ℗ 2000 Craft Recordings.
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