Crossing Over Easy

"Elegant Soul (1968)" was the penultimate release by the Three Sounds, and sees them leaving behind the cool instrumental jazz that had typified most of their previous output, and moving more decisively in the direction of easy-listening pop. While the group had always had something of a light, accessible take on post-bop, "Elegant Soul", with its string arrangements and pop-oriented ambitions, finds them crossing over into easy listening. The 2008 reissue, part of a Blue Note reissue project targeting rare groove collectors and fans of soul-jazz, contextualizes the album for what it is: a unique jazz-soul-pop hybrid.

Beginning in the 1950s, the immensely popular American conductor Arthur Fiedler and his Boston Pops Orchestra made a series of records covering not only the world's most-loved classical pieces, but also crossing over into popular music with great success. Whether it was the Beatles, Broadway, or Hollywood, eventually everyone who was anyone went "Pops." In 1966, Fiedler teamed up with the master of the Nashville sound, famed guitarist and producer Chet Atkins. The match was a good one, and the combo went on to produce many records together. Making its debut in the digital realm, courtesy of Real Gone Records, is a reissue of two of their excellent collaborations, The Pops Goes Country and The Pops Goes West.

The master new age piano pioneer took a cool and rhythmic detour in the early 2000s, working with some top smooth jazz stars to create a spirited, radio - friendly hybrid he playfully referred to as "smooth age." After returning to his roots (and his original label, Narada) with the atmospheric Spirit Romance, his 2005 dual project with flutist Gary Stroutsos, Lanz, on his beautiful and impressionistic Shanachie debut Painting the Sun, comes full - circle back to the elegant and contemplative (but still engagingly melodic) solo piano vibe that launched his career 25 years earlier. His original idea for the album title was "A Time for Peace," but taking a walk around his Seattle area home on a sunny spring day found him looking up and thinking about the artistic spirit of one's soul and energy…

All Music

Dutch producers Roberto Adani and Daniel Wolf have been working together since the late '90s, but Les Seigneurs (Episode 1) is their first release under their own name. Mellow and down-tempo without ever crossing over into mere ambient prettiness, Adani & Wolf use pop melodies (check out the Pink Floyd-like opening of the slinky "Onto the Light") and touches of jazz instrumentation to enhance their largely electronic dance sound; the results are closer to Air or Morcheeba than any of the more single-minded groove merchants…