The Staff - The Staff (2000)

It's frustrating sometimes for instrumental artists of faith who seek to incorporate themes about the Lord into their work; without lyrics, sometimes their only recourse is to put Bible verses into the liner notes. The Staff are a remarkable gathering of a handful of the smooth jazz genre's best-known Christian musicians, and while the liner notes feature references to Biblical passages that inspired the songs, the disc can easily be enjoyed on a purely secular level as well. Featured most prominently are Kirk Whalum (often called the Apostle Paul of Smooth Jazz for his fearless presentation of Jesus to secular audiences) and Paul Jackson, Jr. Jackson's blistering and bluesy electric guitar combusts with Whalum's rich, smoky tenor on one of the best tunes, the brooding "Old Ways," while the peace each musician possesses by faith is presented on elegant pieces like Whalum's "La Paz." "La Paz" features a restrained side of Jackson interacting with the subtle percussion brushes of Sheila E. and Alex Acuna. The singalong "Alegre Canto" conveys the joy the liner notes keep referring to. There's even a harder core fusion jam called "Four Winds." Kevin Whalum's vocal on "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" is an emotional highlight. The band -- which will hopefully not just be a one-time project -- named itself the Staff after the Moses story, and they are truly instruments here of a divine force. ~ Jonathan Widran