Doin' the D

Performer: Alexander Zonjic
Artist: Jeff Lorber; Kenny G; Chieli Minucci; Bob James; Rick Braun; Maysa; Ken Navarro; Brian Bromberg
Distributor: Fontana Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Jeff Lorber (piano, keyboards). It isn't hard to see why some jazz listeners might approach DOIN' THE D with trepidation. Flutist Alexander Zonjic is a smooth jazz artist, and one of the musicians featured on this 2009 release is the saxophonist so many jazz musicians love to hate: Kenny G. However, the album's title song boasts Brian Bromberg on acoustic bass--and keyboardist Jeff Lorber co-produced many of the tracks in addition to helping with the composing, arranging, and engineering. Lorber's presence is definitely a plus, and groove-oriented tunes like "Tourista," "Good as Goldie," and "Tongue Twister" (all of which Lorber composed and co-produced with Zonjic) balance commercial and artistic considerations. As a flutist, Zonjic has a long history of fluctuating between the funkiness of Herbie Mann and Hubert Laws on one hand and the blandness that has often plagued Tim Weisberg on the other. Lorber seems to bring out a bit more of the Mann/Laws side of things on the tunes that he contributes to. And for all its slick, glossy commercialism, DOIN' THE D still has more integrity than many of the smooth jazz discs that were released in the late 2000s. It isn't hard to see why some jazz listeners might approach Doin' the D with trepidation. Flutist Alexander Zonjic is a smooth jazz artist, and one of the musicians featured on this 2009 release is the saxophonist so many jazz musicians love to hate: Kenny G. However, the album's title song boasts Brian Bromberg on acoustic bass -- and keyboardist Jeff Lorber co-produced many of the tracks in addition to helping with the composing, arranging, and engineering. So with that much participation from Lorber, could Doin' the D really be all bad? It isn't. Lorber's presence is definitely a plus, and groove-oriented tunes like "Tourista," "Good as Goldie," and "Tongue Twister" (all of which Lorber composed and co-produced with Zonjic) balance commercial and artistic considerations. The track that features Kenny G is an ethereal version of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower," which Lorber arranged. Kenny G, who is heard on soprano sax, still sounds like a poor man's Grover Washington, Jr. -- which is the same problem that Najee, Boney James, and the late George Howard have all had -- but Lorber's appealing arrangement of the Hubbard standard is the track's saving grace. Actually, Lorber is the saving grace on much of Doin' the D. As a flutist, Zonjic has a long history of fluctuating between the funkiness of Herbie Mann and Hubert Laws on one hand and the blandness that has often plagued Tim Weisberg on the other -- and Lorber seems to bring out a bit more of the Mann/Laws side of things on the tunes that he contributes to. Unfortunately, Lorber doesn't have nearly enough solo space as a keyboardist; one wishes he had a lot more room to stretch out. And most of the tracks that Lorber is absent from are run-of-the-mill smooth jazz fluff. But this 40-minute CD has more pluses than minuses -- and for all its slick, glossy commercialism, Doin' the D still has more integrity than many of the smooth jazz discs that were released in the late 2000s. ~ Alex Henderson

JazzTimes (p.73) - "[T]he late Freddie Hubbard's 'Little Sunflower' is lovingly recreated with the layering of Zonjic's flute and guest Kenny G's soprano sax."

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