Night Music!!
A. Davis | Greenville, SC | 02/11/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Bunky Green's late 1970's sound was "Smooth" before the term was coined to describe an entire genre of laid back melodic Jazz artists. Playing in the vein of Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine and Grover Washington, Jr., Green's "Transformation" bridged the gap between Charlie Parker's improvisational leaps and Smooth Jazz's melodic and funky radio friendly sound. On this recording, the music tackles the challenge of providing the perfect background for romance.This recording is great "Night" music, pure & simple. Put this disc on when the mood is right for romance. "I won't Last A Day Without You" is a good warm-up piece for good conversation, holding hands and glancing into each other's eyes. By the time "Europa" arrives, the wine should be kicking in and the slow dancing begins. You will be in a completely relaxed mood when "Feelings" arrives and the party turns serious. Things start shifting to hot and heavy when "The Lady from Ancona" winds down and "Chillon" and "Funk Ain't A Word" provide A great rhythmic pulse for some serious fun. All that is left is to either hit the repeat button or wish you had a quiet ballad to help you drift off into dreamland. Throughout this entire affair, the band is right on the mark - fresh, stimulating and vibrant as they move from warm and moody to flat out hot and funky. Green's Alto Sax is crystal clear and beautiful. His improvisations are sensuous and very thought provoking. The band sounds very 70's in both vibe and sound, with the keyboards sounding somewhat dated, but the mood and pulse of this recording is right on the money. After listening to this music for over 25 years, It is still capable of "Transforming" an average night into a very passionate experience. I hope it does the same for you - Enjoy!"
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1