s third edition of his funk project the ensemble has him and his cohorts jamming along quite nicely, extending the road song tradition without veering into so-called smooth jazz territory. This is nothing new for , so fans who have been with him since his days with should not be surprised. What is startling is the facility of his band to play a more R&B-derived music, as bassist , drummer (ex- ), and the growing keyboardist expand the strict parameters of dance rhythms into a quite listenable experience. You hear the distinct crossover trappings of the electrified , , and even early period in s music on this date. The group turns the s usually pensive into a funk tune with staggered accents, slows s into a nicely turned-down fusion piece replete with s electric piano, and romp through originals by the keyboardist, most notably the hip-shakin' funk of There are only traces of overt commercialism as picks up a soprano sax, some gospel-derived soul, and even one jazz swing that reminds you of s status as a top-drawer post-bopper. On occasion, musicians must make a better living and play to a larger urban audience, but in this case, the combo succeeds while avoiding a sell-out or watering down their music. ~ Michael G. Nastos