Didier Lockwood - The Kid (1983/2015) [HDtracks]

Violinist Didier Lockwood's 1983 release The Kid has been called an easy listening fusion album that maintains the depth to be taken seriously. It certainly helps to have Rock and Roll Hall of Fame keyboardist David Sancious (Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Sting), guitar wizard Barry Finnerty (Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers), bassist Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report) and drummer Richie Morales (Spyro Gyra) as bandmates. Lockwood and his versatile musicians take on hard bop, fusion, pop, rock ballads and show off serious jazz chops on John Coltrane's Impressions, played at breakneck speed.
Lockwood’s The Kid is an “easy listening” fusion album that maintains the depth to be taken seriously. It certainly helps to have Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer keyboardist David Sacious (Springsteen, Clapton, Sting), guitar wizard Barry Finnerty (Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers), bassist Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report), and drummer Richie Morales (Spyro Gyra) as playmates. There’s the popish Sunny Sonny, the driving Slight of Hands with its electrifying solos, the ear candy of Something Sweet, and the virtuoso up-tempo Bloody Mary, skirting the borders between hard-bop and fusion. The feel-good rock ballad A Time to Touch moves on to the melodic playground of The Kid. After La Ballad de Francis, Lockwood and Co take on Coltrane’s Impressions at breakneck speed, showing off serious jazz chops. My Favorite Dream is played out in synth heaven; at the end, you may not want to wake up from this fusion fantasy.