Alexander Zonjic - Reach For The Sky (2001)

He is the voice of smooth jazz on Detroit morning radio and an underrated pioneer of the genre, who has been making records, featuring his flute, for 20 years. His comeback effort is a pleasant addition to his otherwise hard-to-find catalog. With an all-star cast and big-name producers, including smooth-jazz stars Jeff Lorber and Kirk Whalum, Zonjic doesn't take any musical chances here or fly beyond the smooth-jazz radar. Seven of the 10 tracks are familiar cover tunes, ranging from smooth-jazz classics by Bob James and Chuck Mangione to pop gems by the Beatles and Carole King. Zonjic's fellow Detroiter, Earl Klugh, spices up the early part of the disc, while the sterling production and the light flute style keeps the album moving the rest of the way. With the absence of new music from Dave Valentin, Nelson Rangell, and Sherry Winston, Zonjic could easily establish himself as the flute voice of smooth jazz with this album. -- Mark Ruffin