The Legend of The Stardust Brothers (1985) Macoto Tezuka, Shingo Kubota, Kan Takagi, Kyôko Togawa

The Police never really broke up, they just stopped working together – largely because they just couldn't stand playing together anymore and partially because Sting was itching to establish himself as a serious musician/songwriter on his own terms. Anxious to shed the mantle of pop star, he camped out at Eddy Grant's studio, picked up the guitar, and raided Wynton Marsalis' band for his new combo – thereby instantly consigning his solo debut, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, to the critical shorthand of Sting's jazz record…

The Police never really broke up, they just stopped working together – largely because they just couldn't stand playing together anymore and partially because Sting was itching to establish himself as a serious musician/songwriter on his own terms. Anxious to shed the mantle of pop star, he camped out at Eddy Grant's studio, picked up the guitar, and raided Wynton Marsalis' band for his new combo – thereby instantly consigning his solo debut, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, to the critical shorthand of Sting's jazz record. Which is partially true (that's probably the best name for the meandering instrumental title track), but that gives the impression that this is really risky music, when he did, after all, rely on musicians who, at that stage, were revivalists just developing their own style, and then had them jam on mock-jazz grooves – or, in the case of Branford Marsalis, layer soprano sax lines on top of pop songs.

Brothers Jimmy Heath and Albert "Tootie" Heath carry on together in the tradition of the Heath Brothers band, minus their deceased brother, bassist Percy Heath. David Wong ably fills the bass chair, while pianist Jeb Patton has been working with the Philadelphia-based siblings for going on his dozenth year. There's a certain ease and calm present in Jimmy Heath's tenor sax playing that reflects the wisdom of his seasoned years, an assured stance that is never rushed or over-pronounced. This tone sets up the type of uncomplicated mainstream modern jazz based in bop that most fans can embrace and enjoy. It is refreshing that Jimmy Heath can still crank out new compositions that retain both traditional values and a universal appeal. And – if it actually needs to be said – Albert Heath is one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time, and continues on his tasteful, skillful, perfectly balanced path, a common example for students and fellow pros to follow. A perfect example of their combined expertise kicks off the set with "Changes," an effortless, light, breezy, and melodic a type of straight-ahead jazz as you will ever find.