Jeff Kashiwa
Play
Native Language


Tenor Saxist Jeff Kashiwa has a warm tenor tone, not unlike a contemporary sounding Stanley Turrentine of the new millennium, and it fits in well on this collection of smooth jazz songs. The music is light and cheerful, and quite radio friendly. What keeps you hanging in with the music is Kashiwa’s wonderfully resonant sound. On the funky “Changes” and on the snappy reggae beat during “Blue Jeans”, Kashiwa’s horn comes across like a radiant morning sunrise. “One Good Turn” features some slick bass and percussion work that provides an excellent rhythmic support for Kashiwa to lay out over. The best song on the disc, “Fall” features some excellent and heartfelt acoustic piano work that glides around Kashiwa’s mournful horn. At what it desires to be, “Play” is right on the money for the smooth/easy jazz crowd.


-George W. Harris