Beard

Like the '80s, the '90s could be a frustrating time for lovers of fusion – for every instrumentalist who was blending jazz with rock, funk and/or hip-hop in a creative way, there were ten others who were quite willing to provide boring elevator muzak in order to be played on NAC stations. Gratefully, keyboardist Jim Beard was among those who steered clear of muzak in the '90s and went with his creative impulses. Truly, the Philadelphia native's third date as a leader, and first for the Philly-based Escapade label, isn't fabulous, but it's a decent effort that strives to be unpredictable and fuses jazz with everything from rock, R&B and hip-hop to Brazilian music and classical. Beard does all of the composing, and his pieces range from the mysterious "Social Climate" and the funky "Big Pants." to the classical-minded "In All Her Finery" and the Brazilian-influenced "Hand to Hand."