Noel Webb
Give It All
Red Lab Records
www.noelwebb.com
By George W. Harris

Here’s a nice variation on the smooth jazz theme; electric violinist Noel Webb brings a new sound to the genre, mixing R&Bish beats to some vibrant yet fluid improvising. This five song ep finds him in the working company of Joel Gaines/key, Brian Price/g/ Patrice Jonz/b, Alonzo Powell Jr/dr and Eric McKain/perc, and they gel with some good vibes. The originals like “The Ride” and “Cool” have a full sounding arrangement, with Webb’s electric violin sounding at times like a keyboard synthesizer. An appealing take of the classic “Where Is The Love” includes some wondrous vocals by Trena Steward and Gains gives a fresh coat of paint to the iconic tune. The quintet of songs here is a nice little promise of more things to come.