Charles Blenzig - Say What You Mean (1993)

When one considers its great lineup of players (including Michael Brecker and Alex Foster on reeds, guitarist Mike Stern, bassist Will Lee and drummer Dennis Chambers), the music on keyboardist Charles Blenzig's Big World CD is very frustrating. The program is dominated by weak originals and seemingly endless funk rhythms; Blenzig also manages to take all of the drama out of the standard "Where or When" with a complete reharmonization. Only the final two numbers (the ballad "Close Your Eyes" and the well-titled "As Fast as Possible") give one a clue as to how exciting this session could have been. -- Scott Yanow