Mindi Abair - Come As You Are (2004)

Smooth jazz saxophonist Mindi Abair delivers a laid-back and sensual performance on Come As You Are. More pop than jazz, Abair plays mostly melody lines and the occasional bluesy aside. The album consists largely of dance- and groove-oriented numbers, although Abair does take some charming vocal turns on the mellow ballads "Every Time," "I Can Remember," and the Latin-inflected "You'll Never Know." To these ends, Abair has a soft and elfin voice reminiscent of the Cardigans' Nina Persson, and the combination of her vocals, sax chops, and cover girl good looks makes for a compelling package. Fans of similarly inclined artists such as Candy Dulfer and Dave Koz should find much to enjoy here. ~ Matt Collar