12

Performer: Bob James
Engineer: Bruce Robbins; Vladimir Meller
Producer: Bob James; Joe Jorgensen
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: Bob James (unknown instrument); Charles Vullo, Eric Gale, Steve Khan (guitar); Dave Brown (acoustic guitar); Kirk Whalum (saxophone); Lew Soloff (trumpet); Howlin Horns, Dave Taylor, Eddie Daniels, George Young , Jim Pugh, Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm, Ronnie Cuber, Ron Tooley (horns); Donald Patterson, Gary King, Marcus Miller (bass guitar); Steve Summer, Yogi Horton (drums); Leonard "Doc" Gibbs (percussion). 12 is of historic value because it introduced saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who was still a year away from debuting as a leader with 1985's Floppy Disk. One of the more noteworthy albums that Bob James came out with in the '80s, 12 finds him featuring the up-and-coming Whalum on three selections: the funky "No Pay, No Play," the pensive "Midnight" and Whalum's own "Ruby, Ruby, Ruby" (a slightly Spyro Gyra-ish number). While those selections are enjoyable, the strongest tune on the CD is James' haunting, Chick Corea-influenced "Legacy." Like most of James' projects, 12 suffers from excessive producing and arranging. But despite that shortcoming, it's certainly more creative than knee-jerk, by-the-book releases like Heads, Lucky Seven, Sign of the Times and Touchdown. ~ Alex Henderson

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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