In the 1990s, the easiest way to enjoy airplay on NAC/ stations was to be as bland, predictable, and mindless as possible -- and sadly, a lot of instrumentalists were quite willing to record nothing but dreck if it meant enjoying more airplay and selling more albums. , however, wasn't one of them. For the most part, the pianist's second album, , is neither straight-ahead nor mindless fluff. A few of the tracks are lightweight background music, but only a few. and for example, are the sort of innocuous tunes that you would expect to hear playing in the background at your local shopping mall. But most of the time, is more creative than that. If you like that is accessible yet creative, you can't go wrong with the Brazilian-flavored the or the -minded title track. The clever in fact, has a influence, and is arguably the most straight-ahead thing on the album. At his best, doesn't shy away from -- he digs in, stretches out, and doesn't quit soloing until he has said what needs to be said. Although not quite as consistent as 's first album, , this 1995 release has more plusses than minuses and was a generally respectable (if mildly uneven) addition to his catalog. ~ Alex Henderson