Them Changes

by Jonathan WidranAnyone remember when Pat Sajak had a talk show? Thought not. Well, no matter, because the show was forgettable. What wasn't so easy to dismiss though was the house band, which rocked on admirably even after cancellation by virtue of this wonderfully accessible, upbeat pop effort conceived and produced by the show's musical director and one of jazz's premier saxmen. Purists who've followed Scott over the years may balk at such a commercial collection, but the music is as fun as the guys who are playing it, so who can argue? Scott wrote only two of the nine songs, and interestingly enough, "Desire" and "We Belong Together" are the least exciting tunes, thought they mellow out the pace a bit. Covers of the Average White Band's '74 hit "Pick up the Pieces," Buddy Miles' song as the energetic title cut, Earth, Wind & Fire's brassy "Serpentine Fire," and Coltrane's bluesy "Dahomey Dance" are party tunes all the way, and this band featuring L.A. clubbers Barnaby Finch, Pat Kelley, and Tim Landers help the expressive Scott bring the passionate funk to life. For every tame moment, such as the fairly mundane high school prom-esque reading of Kool and the Gang's "Too Hot," there are jammers like Kelley's blues jam "Chester and Bruce," featuring a wondrously frisky key solo by Finch. The Sajak band never did a group album after this, but each member was a sideman force in contemporary jazz throughout the next decade.