JJ Sansaverino - Sunshine After Midnight (2005)

The debut album from JJ Sansaverino. Among other things, the lead guitarist for Maxi Priest for the last few years. The music attempts to hold some street credibility, but tends toward the adult contemporary side of things. There's some nice production value here, with Alex Valenti and Zé Luis Oliveira taking the helm to switch off and on from a New York sound to something at least partially Brazilian inspired. Some of the tracks are better than others, of course, with notable highlights including "Fuego" and "Victory of Righteousness." At other times, it can become a more standard ballad-laden affair. Sansaverino is a worthwhile guitar player by all means, but the compositions and his showcase of them can be rather tame. Radio-friendly almost to a fault. Give it a listen for the attempt at fusing the multitude of New York sounds, but head elsewhere for pure guitar love. © Adam Greenberg