Saxopohnist Art Porter passed away shortly after the release of this excellent album, "Lay Your Hands on Me." It's a shame, because on this outing, Art finally was able to evolve from the classy but staid production of Jeff Lorber to a more contemporary sound, a process started on the excellent "Undercover" (1994) but not fully realized until this album.
"Lay Your Hands on Me" is a delight, featuring production by Chuckii Booker and Brian McKinight and guest vocals from McKnight and Lalah Hathaway, soulful arrangements and Art's distinctive funky improvosations. Each track merits a listen, because they are all beautiful. My favorite song from "Lay Your Hands on Me" is "We Are One," a Booker-produced track that combines the best elements of both artists' styles. If you want a good contemporary jazz album that doesn't leave you guessing who did it halfway through, this is it.
01 Flight Time 02 Lake Shore Drive 03 One More Chance 04 Just Wanna Be With You 05 DB Blue 06 Candlelights 07 Wishful Thinking 08 Forever Love 09 We Are One 10 Lay Your Hands on Me