The Greyboy Allstars - Live (1999)

In the 1990s the junction of jazz and funk has become quite a popular destination. Of course, soul-jazz was prominent among serious jazz cats throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but in the 1990s, the bug has spread to rock audiences who want extended jams and some space to dance. When it comes to blending danceable grooves with well-executed and thoughtful improvisation, San Diego's Greyboy Allstars are state-of-the-art, and as with most jam bands, the live stage is the true proving ground. Tenor sax player Karl Denson is the one with the serious "jazz cred" and he proves it here in abundance, but the remaining four are as tight as your old bar-mitzvah suit. As a whole, the quintet tends toward a smoother, more melodic brand of funk, one with dollops of real "soul music," making this live record a treat for both your brain and your behind. -- Marc Greilsamer ~