Grant Geissman - Take Another Look (1990)

From the guitarist with the coolest hairstyle in L.A. comes another one of those sweet, instantly likable pop-jazz treats. Grant Geissman shines on his label debut, smartly sticking to the acoustic, which he employs over grooves ranging from orchestral to samba to light funk. The guitarist and friends like Emil Palame (keys), Sam Riney (woodwinds), Flim Johnson (bass), and David Benoit are all elite players, fun to listen to, with much to express musically. But as strong as the playing is, Geissman's best gift is in the writing department. His moody lines on "Asleep in the Deep" give Riney room to spread out, while "Choices" sounds like the short film score it is, a midtempo delight. "Take Another Look" was co-written by Benoit and has that unmistakable angst-free sound about it. "Big Hair" and "Attitudes" are the hummable funkfests, and "Cuba Libre" (co-written by Palame) features some of the niftiest brass smooth jazz has ever heard. And then there's "Greer's Tears," which rivals Russ Freeman's "One Summer Night in Brazil" as one of the most beautifully lilting ballads of the early days of the genre. Written for Geissman's daughter, it features a lush string section bringing out its moody melancholia. © Jonathan Widran