Najee - Tokyo Blue (1990)

Best known for his dynamite soprano, Najee proved his versatility with this disc by using alto and tenor, and even throwing in some tender flute work on the mellow "My Old Friend." He is a strong improvisator, but you could classify Tokyo Blue as R&B just as easily as jazz due to the funk grooves (which display a similar formula as George Howard's best work). There are also strong guest appearances by several vocalists here, including Freddie Jackson on Stevie Wonder's "Superwoman." Immensely pleasurable, a fun listen from beginning to end, and recommended for those pop/jazz fans who wanna shake their groove thang. Najee was one of smooth jazz's most consistent proponents of a sub genre that came to be called rhythm and jazz. Top cuts here include "Talkin'," "Tokyo Blue," and "Stay."