The Genie [Remaster]

Performer: Bob James
Artist: Eric Gale; Steve Khan; Peter Erskine; Steve Gadd; Idris Muhammad; Ralph MacDonald; Randy Brecker; Michael Brecker; Tom Scott
Engineer: Joe Jorgensen
Producer: Bob James
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: Bob James (keyboards, synthesizer); Eric Gale, Steve Khan (guitar); Tom Scott (saxophone); Gary King (bass guitar); Steve Gadd (drums); Ralph MacDonald (percussion). Of all the things Bob James has done over the years, he remains best known for composing "Angela (Theme From Taxi)." That likable tune was first released on 1979's Touchdown, and it was recorded again for this 1983 release, which focuses mainly on background music he wrote for the popular television comedy. Dull background music had been James' forte since the mid-1970s, and in that sense, The Genie isn't out of the ordinary for him. "Angela" is the only tune on the CD that's memorable; one could listen to The Genie several times and still have a hard time remembering any of the melodies except "Angela." The Genie enjoyed airplay on some stations that claimed to be jazz-oriented, but truth be told, selections like "Night Moods" and "Groove for Julie" are really instrumental pop with slight jazz overtones. Of course, whether The Genie should be called jazz or pop isn't the thing that matters the most. The bottom line is that most of the material is neither interesting nor stimulating. ~ Alex Henderson On THE GENIE, Bob James features his great compositions that were used as incidental and theme music for the long-running television series, TAXI. James is joined here by a tremendous cast of musicians. In addition to "Angela," TAXI's mellow and very recognizable main theme and also a highlight of James' TOUCHDOWN, James and his comrades jam on several great tracks. Since so many of the tunes were only used as snippets on the television series, only the most diehard TAXI fans would recognize them from the show. Familiar or not, however, these cuts carry with them the feeling of background music, as opposed to being a typical James recording. Most noteworthy are "Brooklyn Heights Boogie," "The Genie" and "Groove for Julie." Perfect driving music.

Keyboardist Bob James is a man who has worn many musical hats. He began as a progressive-jazz pianist in the early 1960s (he even recorded for famed underground avant-garde label ESP). By the '70s, however, he'd incorporated electric keyboards and become a star in the burgeoning fusion genre, making records which would later be sampled by countless hip-hop artists. Along the way, he was also involved in the soundtracks for everything from SERPICO to the TV show TAXI, and worked as arranger and producer for Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, and others. In the '90s, James became even more popular as a member of the smooth-jazz supergroup Fourplay.

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