Joe Kurasz - Soul Searching (2004)

It's unfortunate that the smooth jazz format is so resistant to the Hammond B-3 as a lead voice, because the spirited funk Joe Kurasz brings to his chief instrument could, with some opportunity, make him the Joey DeFrancesco of the contemporary funk-jazz set. Hopefully, having Gerald Albright's rich sax tones forging the way on the mid-tempo "Crossroads" will help shine a light, but there are other gems here worthy of consideration. The opener, "Funky B," is all playful bounce below, total sensual blues organ on top, while "Takin' a Break" is crisp and rockin'. No doubt trying to appeal to the format's love for recognizable covers, Kurasz had moderate success with Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," but sounds like mid-inning ballgame fodder on "Operator." His other concession to commerciality is including two tracks where he focuses on acoustic piano; "Uncommon Ground" is pleasant enough, but he gets better results on the brass-tinged vocal "Mr. Soul." Having the first of these follow the opening track is bound to confuse people as to where Kurasz's true voice is. And there's no doubt from the overall likeability of this disc that it's in the B-3. If this instrument never had a shot at going mainstream in smooth jazz-land, it does now with this recording.~Jonathan Widran