Description
R&R selected Roger as their 1999 Smooth Jazz Breakout Artist of the Year and he was nominated by Gavin for 1999 Artist of the Year. Roger also received nominations in 3 categories from the Smooth Jazz Oasis Awards: The Horizon Award, Best Keyboardist and Song of the Year.
Consider This is Roger's next step up. Guest Artists include: The Temptations, Peter White, Dave Koz, Tower of Power Horns.
Tracks
1) Horn-afication
2) Thinkin'Bout Ya!
3) I'll Always Love You
4) Just For Love
5) Full Moon
6) Remember The Time
7) Hopscotch
8) Work'n It
9) Sweet Lady
10) Consider This
11) Uptown
12) No Clue
Artist Profile
Continued from Part One - Both Sides
Now his sights are focused on expansion. Musically, Smith's always used a lot of R&B, funk and soul influences and is hoping to attract more urban listeners with Consider This. He produced or co-produced eight of the album's dozen compositions and wrote or co-penned four. "When I write, it's typically all about the groove. Sometimes it is a feeling that I'm hoping to convey, but usually I start with the groove and build upon that," Smith explained.
Opening the album, his old friends in the famed Tower of Power Horn Section blow blasts of brass punctuating the funkalicious "Horn-afication." The contemplative "Thinkin' 'Bout Ya!" was written for his wife of twenty-one years, Kathleen. Smith remains in the background adding classy piano accents to "I'll Always Love You," allowing the spotlight to be shared by legendary crooners The Temptations and sax sensation Dave Koz. Making it a family affair, Smith's seventeen-year-old niece collaborated on the lyrics to the romantic declaration.
A moody flugelhorn guides "Just For Love," an edgy, nighttime seducer about the love affair between Roger and Kathleen. "Stylistically it's inspired by the works of some of my biggest musical influences, artists like Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Fats Waller," Smith said of the cut. He let it hang out on "Full Moon," playing all over the bouncy jaunt that rises to a brisk cadence. Smith and Foster reunited to co-produce the Teddy Riley-Michael Jackson cover, "Remember the Time." "Teddy's work is right up my alley: killer melody lines and funky grooves," offered Smith. Originally appearing on the Both Sides album as a piano instrumental, "Hopscotch" was retooled into a frantic, syncopated number that the full band attacks from the very first note. With precision, Michael Gregory's searing guitar shreds the track, a nod to the vintage Return to Forever/Weather Report days of avant-garde jazz. While searching for material for the record, Smith approached White and the British guitarist delivered two of the set's finest moments. Both "Workin' It" and "Uptown" were written and produced by White. On the former, White's acoustic guitar gets caught up in an eloquent discourse with Smith's piano work; the latter is an energetic dancer possessing a rousing clubland beat upon which Smith's piano builds to anthem-like proportions.
Last year's soulful hit ballad by Tyrese, "Sweet Lady," was revamped by producer Derek "DOA" Allen and spotlights a sensual sax lead by TOP's Norbert Statchel. Smith and Allen teamed again on the title track, on which Statchel feathers a flute accompaniment over Smith's piano riffs. "This one is lyrical yet vocals are absent," described Smith. "I was trying to communicate something in the groove, the melody and sonically." Closing the collection, Allen's "No Clue" completes the musical circle with a gritty, hip hop-inflected number decorated with a hint of an Egyptian motif. A sinewy bass line guides the melody, which is unencumbered by the scratching turntables. "I don't always like playing it safe. I like taking chances and going the opposite direction of what's expected," said Smith emphatically.
Like the title of his last album, we've canvassed the disparate sides of Smith. "This album, like my life, is all over the place, but I do feel that it does point to one direction. All these different avenues are me," he asserted. Listening to his records, one is eventually embraced by the immense joy Smith exudes.