Eric Marienthal - Sweet Talk (2003)

Eric Marienthal's CD titled Sweet Talk is definitely something good in the realm of beautiful smooth jazz. Comprised of 11 tracks totaling almost 47 minutes in length, this CD is filled with some sweet highlights that are worth every minute of exposure to its charm.

Eric kicks off the album on alto sax with "Uptown," an outstanding collaboration with Jeff Lorber who contributes his best on keyboards and drum programming. "Secrets" continues the hand-in-glove Marienthal/Lorber collaboration; this song could be imagined on one of Jeff's album's, but Eric takes a mellow approach with his wonderfully melodic touch on romantic jazz sax.

"All I Am," written by Dave Kochanski (formerly of the Rippingtons) is an up-tempo number featuring Kochanski on keyboards and Gene Lake on drum kit; this song will have you toe tapping, and it features Eric playing a duet with Jeff Mironov on guitar. Eric covers the outstanding Stevie Wonder song "Tell Me Something Good" arranged by Marienthal and Lorber. This tune features little known Cassandra Reed delivering a soulful performance on vocals.

The outstanding title track "Sweet Talk" is buried in the middle of the album. It's a lyrical tune that engages the listener on a musical and emotional level. Co-composed by Eric and his son Robert, Scott Breadman came over from the Rippingtons to lend percussive talent while bassist Melvin Lee Davis over-delivers on 7 string contra bass guitar. Eric vocalizes on his alto sax while Davis provides an oh-so-fine scat vocal and Gannin Arnold supplies melodic accents on acoustic and electric guitars.

"Caprichosa" (meaning whimsical, fanciful, impulsive), the longest song on the CD at 5:15, is a ballad written by Brazilian composers Ivan Lins and Fatima Guedes. Lins sings vocals in Portuguese and Marienthal beguiles on soprano sax; it's fairly evident that Eric wanted this to be a memorable standout tune and it is. "Laguna" features the same lineup of musicians as "Caprichosa" but with Marienthal playing an earthy alto sax that brings this smorgasbord of music to its close.

Sweet Talk is an album that deserves to be experienced if you appreciate talented saxophonists; Eric Marienthal delivers something good on this CD produced by Jason Miles (Luther Vandross, Miles Davis).