Ken Navarro - The Meeting Place (2007)

Through all the roster fluctuation of smooth jazz artists on major labels, this Maryland based guitarist stayed in the loop for over 15 years with a consistently strong stream of releases on his own label, Positive Music, and two during a brief stay on Shanachie. While so many of the more renowned genre artists experienced creative and commercial highs and lows, Ken Navarro proved to be one of the most consistent in both arenas. His secret? An uncanny ability to compose breezy, delectable melodies, alternate between his usual acoustic and occasional electric lead voice, and produce strong ensemble-driven projects like The Meeting Place, his 16th release overall. Navarro's also into throwing attractive textural curveballs once in a while, as in the way he wraps the spirited, easy funk opener "Lucky" with a colorful string of sitar, swirled with Rob Holmes' sweet soprano sax. "Did You Hear That?" is classic top down summer weather acoustic Navarro fare all the way, but then he drops in Holmes' edgy tenor and his own fiery electric guitar solo. One of Navarro's key harmonic weapons over the hears has been the brilliant keyboardist Jay Rowe, who creates a colorful retro-flavored electric piano solo on the otherwise middle of the road "No Other Way." "My Beautiful Girls" bounces along magnificently on a bed of grooves and a touch of mystical synth magic, while the guitarist digs deeper on the thick soul grooves of the title track. The Meeting Place is a worthy addition to Navarro's singularly picture-perfect contemporary jazz catalog. ~ Jonathan Widran