On The Players, Warner Alliance has brought together some of the foremost studio musicians in the music business. All are Christians, but their influence and ability are sought and seen far beyond the confines of the CCM genre. The notables who participate in this unique undertaking are: Eric Darken, Mark Douthit, Tom Hemby, Dann Huff, Shane Keister, Terry McMillan, Michael Omartian, Chris Rodriguez, and Tommy Sims. These are the men whose behind-the-scenes efforts and incredible talents have made the records of Wynonna, Michael Jackson, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Margaret Becker, and countless others, sound so great. Consequently, I anticipated songs equal to the musical genius and virtuosity of these "players." The packaging and marketing on this album served only to propagate further this expectation. The Players' slogan hypes this group and their endeavor this way-"What is the difference between the men and the boys? Is it the price of their toys? No! It's the way they play." In actuality though, the project does not contain the sort of "smoking" solo performances I imagined. Rather than solo riffs and killer chops, this album offers light, contemporary jazz selections that have a blended band sound.
Indeed, "the players" present the kind of innocuous, instrumental jazz that's so popular in today's mainstream radio market. There is only one track with vocals-Tom Hemby's "Love Is." Hemby uses both his own and his wife's voice, but it's strictly an accent to the other instruments (albeit, a nice touch). For the most part, the players follow a direction similar to that of Kenny G, Larry Carlton, and Spyro Gyra, producing the kind of melodies that could very easily have lyrics and repeating choruses added to them. Clearly, this is not the highly improvisational and experimental stuff of the players' professed influences (Sanborn, Davis, Beck, Copeland, etc.), which are listed in the liner notes. Nor is it what one might have hoped for from this cache of creativity. Nevertheless, the collaborative effort of these skilled artists does encompass enough variety in approach and diversity in style to make the project, as a whole, interesting and able to stand up to repeated listenings. While The Players opens with a totally cooperative ensemble number, "10Q," the remainder of the cuts were delegated to each of the players. They were given the freedom to create a musical piece on their own-no limitations. Each was in charge of the writing and recording, inviting any musicians to participate that they chose. The liner notes devote a page to each player, with several interesting facts (such as musical influences, endorsements, favorite sessions, and musical philosophy) and who played the parts on the song.
By far the brightest and most satisfying track on the album is Chris Rodriguez's "The Valley." Rodriguez offers a "slow dance" in the midst of a predominantly mid-tempo and up-beat set. Reminiscent of the work of Jeff Johnson and Robin Crow, Rodriguez's acoustic and electric guitar work add a smooth and serene accent to the album. The sound of his fingers, as they glide over and caress the strings, is audible-giving his guitar a subtle "voice" that practically sings of peace and intimacy. Rodriguez also employs a subtle "Oregon bass" technique which is very effective. In addition, he uses his acoustic solo as a seamless segue into an electric, full band section. Over the past several years, there have been numerous rumors of a "solo deal" for Rodriguez. I, for one, hope such an opportunity materializes soon. As I'm sure those of you who have heard Integrity's Scripture Memory series (to which Rodriguez contributed) or any of his band gigs (i.e., Michael W. Smith) will attest, this man is not just a top-notch guitar player, but a creditable vocalist, as well. "The Valley" merely whets the appetite for a more lengthy performance by Chris Rodriguez.
The only real "lemon" in this lot is Tommy Sims' "A Night At The Golden 'O.'" It is a surprisingly weak and uninspired number. Sims uses an announcer and a crowd at the beginning of this cut, which creates the live club/bar atmosphere that the title alludes to. By giving each instrument and player an introduction, Sims sets up the expectation the he will dive into a raucous romp or psychedelic slide; unfortunately, he does neither. Sims' foundational melody has an infectious Stevie Wonder-esque, 70's keyboard feel. But rather than developing and diversifying from this ground, he simply lets his groove loop repetitively, around and around. For a man who has done work with the likes of Amy Grant and Bruce Springsteen, this effort is lackluster and disappointing.
With no lyrics and nothing overtly Christian (even in the liner notes), The Players should receive a warm welcome from the burgeoning adult contemporary jazz market. I hope it does. Unquestionably, this project is light, tight, and pleasant-more than capable of pleasing that audience's ears. However, for those of us (myself included) who envisioned benchmark performances from some of our favorite session men-The Players misses the target.
