Cesar Garcia - Love Takes Time (2000/2020)

Saxophonist César García (who is heard on tenor, alto, soprano, and flute) was not quite ready for prime time when he recorded this CD. His tones on his various instruments are weak, his ideas stick mostly to soulful clichés that have been heard many times elsewhere, and his originals (11 of the 13 songs) are not at all memorable. "Sin Ti," one of two songs not written by Garcia, easily has the strongest melody. To be fair, this is more of a mostly instrumental pop set than a creative jazz date, and the backup musicians are professional (if not too creative). But the lack of originality and fresh ideas is unfortunate. Toss in a few throwaway vocal numbers and an excess of electronic rhythms and one has a CD that is instantly forgettable.