Urban Renewal

by Scott YanowAfter a long string of excellent jazz albums, including many with his modern hard bop group Horizon, Bobby Watson recorded this dud. On his debut for Kokopelli the masterful altoist went overtly commercial. The music has danceable rhythms that avoid being stimulating along with forgettable melodies (many of which sound like r&b cliches). Two songs have spoken word sections by Dejah and Victor Lewis that are barely listenable. Watson's own playing (which includes rare appearances on tenor and flute in addition to his usual alto and soprano) is a cut above the level of the usual crossover artists, but the music (most of which he wrote) is not worthy of him and he never climaxes his solos with the skill of a Grover Washington Jr. or a David Sanborn. This is one to pass by.