Lake Effect - An Ocean Away
Lake Effect is the project of Bob Davis and Neil Artwick, two professional musicians from Chicago. Both have a long history of an musical career with many contacts to legends as Robert Irving (Keyboardist of Miles Davis), John Secada, Keith Carradine, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Al Jarreau, Mavis Staples and BeBe & CeCe Wynans. Although top notch artists they have the same problem as many other artists: A perfect album, but no contract with a label promoting this product. Anyway this album is worth a listen. So check it out.
The album "An Ocean Away" is outlined as a smooth jazz album and for some exposure you find their music at www.smoothjazzband.com . The album starts with 10 % More, a hooking melody, well presented by Bob Davis smooth guitar and accompanied by Neil's piano. The perfect arrangement is refined with a strong horn section reminding at the group Chicago.
In The Universe is following the same concept: a professional blend of melody and instrumental music. This tune is featuring the fantastic sax player Warren Hill. Neil Artwick plays the melody structure on piano, followed by Warren, who takes over the the theme.
Beautiful Lover has a nice keyboard intro opening to Bob's presentation on guitar. The song is polished and radio-friendly.
The title Used To Be A Cha-Cha let's await something Latin, but it's more a lyrical smooth jazz tune with a light Cha-Cha rhythm.
Now you know continues the Latin rhythm structure. A femal voice is whispering and breathing to Neil's piano play. Neil has more opportunity to demonstrate his piano skills, although the tune is still very melody oriented.
A further relaxing tune is A.M. . Bob Davis and Neil Artwick are standing in the middle of the smooth jazz genre. One can recognize many elements, we have already often heard on smooth jazz radio stations.
Think About Me is a slow melody energized by Neil's piano play. The professionalism of both players veiled the simple-mindedness of this tune.
More action and tempo is to find on Storm At Sunrise with an impressing trumpet solo based on a grooving drummachine rhythm.
The same groove has Balancing Act, which will activate some radio djs. I personally like a perfect arranged drum program added with light acid jazz elements.
The album slows down again with Lema, a romantic guitar tune backed by a string arrangement. Some music for the background of a candlelight dinner. Steve Cole adds his well-known sax for some notes.
Governer's Island is featuring Leo Gandleman on sax accompanied by humming female vocals. It's a Bossa Nova melody, with South American whistles, ganzas (shakers), a goggo bells (cowbells) and cuicas ( a drum with a stick in the middle, which will be rubbed), the whole Brazilian rhythm arrangement. Neil's piano play is brilliant.
More of this on Something New. Neil shows anew his mastership, especially on his short excursions to improvisations.
An Ocean Away is a furthermore tune for fireplace hours. A slowtempo tune with a melting atmospheric melody.
Final tune is New Blues. A kicking tune with some hammond B3, jamming guitar riffs and a phat horn arrangement.
I hope Lake Effect will get the chance to spread their music to a wide audience. They deserve it.
