If you love piano, drums, guitar, and horns, you will love this album. This CD is a blend of melodic instrumental smooth jazz and fusion that destroys any myths concerning the use of a digital keyboard as a jazz instrument.. Taking direction from the success's of his prior CD's, 'The Illusionist' portrays a calm maturity to Alan's prior work. It is simply his best CD to date.

10 MP3 Songs in this album (55:57) !
Related styles: Jazz: Contemporary Jazz, Electronic: Acid Jazz, Type: Instrumental

People who are interested in Acoustic Alchemy Herbie Hancock Jeff Lorber should consider this download.


Details:
No smoke or mirrors were used in the making of Alan Adamsâ latest album; the instrumental wizardry on the record is rooted in his own fertile imagination. âThe Illusionistâ of the title may refer to Adams himself, but itâs a different kind of magic that he weaves here.

With its swirl of synthesizers and band of horns, Adamsâ music is caught in between that twilight zone of jazz fusion and progressive rock. The first cut, âConversations,â sways back and forth from both extremes. Adamsâ retro-futuristic keyboards recall the interstellar overdrive of prog while the drums and horns follow a herky-jerky jazz groove. Itâs like Emerson, Lake and Palmer riding the âSoul Trainâ to Ornette Colemanâs pad. Given that the initial song on his album explodes with a carnival of sounds, blowing speakers open with bright colors and thunderous energy, itâs no wonder why Adams is referred to as âThe Illusionist.â

Adamsâ synthesizers swoosh with a vintage sheen on âSpring,â and itâs refreshing to hear those electronic sounds in jazz once again. The slower âRoad Tripâ leaves an enigmatic, underwater vibe; it is one of the most alluringly mysterious exercises in smooth jazz this year. âRoad Tripâ is indeed a journey; it has a mood-spinning ambience that is made for mind movies, especially ones involving traveling long distances. Each note is a different street in Adamsâ dream-state world, and together they produce layers of ethereal atmosphere.

Leslie Connors 'JazzTimes'