Ernie Watts - Sanctuary (1986)

This Qwest project was a typical crossover project for Ernie Watts, who recorded a series of commercial sets for Elektra and Qwest. The rhythms are danceable; Watts displays attractive tones on tenor, alto, and soprano; the supporting cast includes top L.A. studio musicians (who were used to sounding anonymous and playing funk clichés); Don Grusin contributes keyboards and electronic rhythms; among the many vocalists are Larry Williams and Phil Perry; and guitarist Lee Ritenour pops up on a few numbers. None of the music is at all memorable and the results (which sold fairly well) were dated within a year. Fortunately, Ernie Watts would soon start recording more creative jazz and start to realize his potential, which is largely wasted on this effort.

Review by Scott Yanow