A Summer Breeze

On his latest album, saxophonist Curtis has broadened his signature ballad sound with Urban Contemporary rhythms from his R&B Funk roots, thanks to production partner and longtime friend Ainsley Taylor and the early work of Witnel Paul. “Wherever The Chips Fall" (featuring Nathaniel Mitchell on keyboards) and the inspirational "Promise Me” are the lead singles. Curtis exuberates his passion on The Stylistics’ classic "You Are Everything", displays his versatility with steelpan on the Caribbean-flavored rendition of the Seals & Crafts classic title track "Summer Breeze”, and invites flutist Ragan Whiteside to join the fun on "Let it Go”.

Rock's long and winding road from Woodstock to the waiting room at the doctor's office was paved with '70s staples such as these. "A Horse With No Name" (America), "Summer Breeze" (Seals & Crofts), "Dreams" (Fleetwood Mac), "How Much I Feel" (Ambrosia) – you get the idea. If you want these for home listening as well, there are some advantages to this 16-track compilation. The liner notes are intelligent and informative, and a bit of sly progressivism sneaks in via the Flying Burrito Brothers' "Hot Burrito #1." Other artists include James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Joe Walsh, as well as vanished easy rockers like Terence Boylan and Jack Tempchin.

Rock's long and winding road from Woodstock to the waiting room at the doctor's office was paved with '70s staples such as these. "A Horse With No Name" (America), "Summer Breeze" (Seals & Crofts), "Dreams" (Fleetwood Mac), "How Much I Feel" (Ambrosia) – you get the idea. If you want these for home listening as well, there are some advantages to this 16-track compilation. The liner notes are intelligent and informative, and a bit of sly progressivism sneaks in via the Flying Burrito Brothers' "Hot Burrito #1." Other artists include James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Joe Walsh, as well as vanished easy rockers like Terence Boylan and Jack Tempchin.

Seals & Crofts It's possible to hear the progression of soft rock through the music of Seals & Crofts, the duo who recorded some of the genre's perennials. Over the course of the 1970s, Seals & Crofts evolved from a gentle folk-rock duo to purveyors of slick, polished pop, two sounds that became inextricably associated with the Me Decade. Practitioners of the Baha'i Faith – at the height of their fame in the mid-'70s, they'd extol its virtues to fans – the duo were drawn to the quieter aspects of rock music, developing a signature sound distinguished by their easy melodicism and mellow vibe. Their craft was evident on their biggest hits. "Summer Breeze," "Diamond Girl," "We May Never Pass This Way (Again)," and "Get Closer" remained radio staples years after their initial run on the charts, surviving long after the pair called it a day at the dawn of the '80s.