Peace of Mind

by Scott YanowJeff Kashiwa has a fluent if generic style on soprano, alto, and tenor, which fits perfectly into the "feel good" smooth music that he performs on "Peace of Mind." The 11 selections clock in between 3:46 and 5:14 and were clearly recorded with hopes of getting maximum radio airplay. Kashiwa's rhythm section is effective if anonymous (despite the presence of Brian Bromberg on bass) with the focus being almost entirely on the leader's melodic playing. While the music is lightly grooving and mildly soulful and Kashiwa plays well, no surprises occur and this set never rises above the level of pleasant background music.