Paul Hardcastle - The Jazzmasters I (1999)

After years of exploring dance and electronic music, Paul Hardcastle moved to contemporary jazz fusion with his 1993 album, Jazzmasters I. Recorded in late 1990 and early 1991, the album features Hardcastle on the majority of the instruments -- everything except the sax and flute, which are handled by Gary Barnacle, and the vocals, which are by Helen Rogers. Given that all the rhythms are programmed, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the album sounds a little stiff in comparison to the average jazz release, but smooth contemporary jazz is about textures, which Hardcastle has mastered. The material may be a little weak and the sound may be a little canned, but Jazzmasters I firmly establishes Hardcastle as a musician who can pull off contemporary jazz quite convincingly.