Joe Sample - The Pecan Tree (2002)

As a cofounder of the soul-jazz group the Crusaders, and as a solo artist who produced some memorable recordings, from Rainbow Seeker to Spellbound, pianist Joe Sample has been a steady groove-maker for over four decades. This CD is a tribute to the source of his down-home grooves: Houston, Texas. It's where Sample honed his bluesy, Creole-coded, Ramsey Lewis-like pianisms that effortlessly blend Latin, R&B, classical, and funk idioms into a spicy East Texas musical gumbo. Tunes like the title track, "Hot and Humid," and "Spanish Moss" highlight Sample's fluid and soulful solos and in-the-pocket swing. Sample's tender treatment of the old R&B standard "With These Hands" is graced by the urgent vocals of the ex-Shalamar vocalist Howard Hewitt. "No One but Myself to Blame" and the thoughtful ballad "Fool's Gold" feature the fresh voice of newcomer Lizz Wright. Throughout this pleasing document, Joe Sample has shown us where his enduring and enchanting musicianship comes from. --Eugene Holley Jr.