Do You Have Any Sugar?

Amazon.com
The title of tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine's Do You Have Any Sugar? refers to Turrentine's now-classic composition from the 1970s, as well as to his justly famous sweet tone. But unfortunately for straightahead jazz fans, it could also refer to the overly saccharine-sweet nature of the album, much of which is awash in layers of synthesizers and satiny-smooth vocalizing that may delight smooth-jazz fans at the expense of Turrentine's more traditional jazz audience. Turrentine himself is in good form, his playing warmly full-bodied and intensely lyrical, and his sidemen are topnotch. Bassist Ray Brown, pianist Joe Sample, and drummer Harvey Mason (the drummer on Herbie Hancock's famed Head Hunters) are heard to great effect on "Back in the Day," "2 RBs," and "Far Too Little Love" (a rewrite of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" that is somewhat questionably credited here to producer Steven Boyd and Chuck Hoover). But the rest of the tracks, with their ever-present banks of creamy synthesizer tones and pop-R&B vocalizing from Niki Haris, push the album more toward a smooth-jazz audience. --Ezra Gale

From Jazziz
For his new record, Do You Have Any Sugar?, Stanley Turrentine wanted to record a diverse collection of music, including easy-listening, blues, R&B, and bebop. In order to do that he hired some of L.A.'s top musicians, many of them old friends of his. "It was great seeing those cats again, let alone playing with them," Turrentine says of the experience. They are some of the best musicians you could ever want to play with you. And they all came to play - played their butts off!" Our featured track, "Do You Have Any Sugar?," features vocalist Niki Harris, daughter of pianist Gene Harris, with whom Turrentine has recorded in the past.

Do You Have Any Sugar?,Stanley Turrentine,Concord Records,Hard Bop,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,Soul-Jazz

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