Search - Paul Jackson Jr :: Power of the String

This recording starts off with Paul Jackson, a chameleon of a musician, slipping into the increasingly faceless George Benson smooth school of octave guitar playing. Jackson checks into the similar styles of Norman Brown and Ronny Jordan on the first two tracks before displaying his own somewhat distinct voice on the third track, the ballad "Pour Noelle," featuring a soulful Boney James on sax. The Power of the String then suddenly makes a sharp turn from smooth jazz onto the R&B road with a funky, radio-friendly version of the Whispers' dance classic, "Rock Steady," complete with clap track. Then comes the beautiful voice of Christian singer and former pop star Deniece Williams on a thinly disguised Jackson hymn, "You Always Satisfy," followed by a rerecording of a tune written by a member of the singing gospel family, the Winans. Jackson sings Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" in surprisingly good voice with members of Take 6. The album ends with a straight-ahead jazz waltz that perhaps only devoted fans of this guitarist or his instrument will have sat through after being faced with such a hodge-podge of styles. --Mark Ruffin