Don Diego - Razz (1991/2018)

As flawed as they were, Don Diego's late-1990s albums showed occasional flashes of inventiveness. But no such flashes can be found on 1991's Razz, which is a calculated, opportunistic ripoff of Grover Washington, Jr.'s innovations. There's nothing wrong with being heavily influenced by Washington from technique and chops to imagination, soul and originality, Mr. Magic has it all. But it's also important to find your own voice, and Diego makes no effort to do that on this homogenized, gutless urban/pop/jazz effort. Like so many equally predictable releases by Najee, Kenny G, Dave Koz and the late George Howard, Razz reduces Washington's innovations to a tired and meaningless cliché. The saxman's muzak version of Tony! Toni! Tone!'s "It Never Rains in Southern California" is pure schlock, and equally dreadful is his cover of the Ronnie Laws tune "Love's Victory." Instead of hearing Diego emulate Washington, listeners would be much better off sticking to the real thing and investing in Washington classics like Mr. Magic, Live at the Bijou and Winelight. Diego has the potential to record a decent album, but Razz is a complete throwaway.