Sophisticated Funk

Sophisticated...maybe. Funky...not so much. This forgettable effort from Jack McDuff veers far too close to smooth jazz territory for comfort -- swapping his signature Hammond B-3 for keyboards, McDuff settles for a fusion sound suggesting a particularly tepid CTI session, with none of the swagger and groove of his most memorable records. Saxophonist/flutist Joe Harrell is similarly tentative, although one must blame Billy Jones' overly slick arrangements -- there's really not much chance of salvaging cuts like "Mini Pads" and "'Mannix' Theme." Definitely don't judge this one by its lurid cover -- it's as tame as a de-clawed house cat. ~ Jason Ankeny