Yse Records
2007
Diversify
About This Album
Myopic jazz purists believe that commercializing jazz in any way, shape or form is the epitome of evil, but commercialism does have its place in jazz as long as it is well done. Truth be told, commercialism has been going on in jazz for many years; when Artie Shaw featured Helen Forrest and other vocalists in the '30s and '40s, he did it to sell more records but was tasteful about it -- and that's the key: tastefulness. Charles Earland and Grover Washington, Jr. were masters of tasteful commercialism; Kenny G, Dave Koz and Najee, on the other hand, have provided an abundance of tasteless schlock. Thankfully, keyboardist/pianist Lao Tizer's Diversify is an example of tasteful commercialism. No one will mistake this crossover jazz/fusion offering for straight-ahead bop, but Tizer's blend of jazz and pop (which sometimes draws on funk and world music) is music that -- for all its accessibility -- has substance. Compositionally, Tizer's influences on this 77-minute CD include, among others, Spyro Gyra, the Yellowjackets, Pat Metheny, David Sanborn and Joe Sample (who has also influenced Tizer as a soloist). Although Tizer maintains a strong sense of groove, Diversify has more meat on its bones than 95-percent of the stuff that smooth jazz/NAC stations are playing these days.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,4,7,8 and 12)

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