The title of ' 1998 debut, , is a perfect reflection of the saxman's very simple and direct philosophy about composing and playing: "There's got to be a perfect mixture of romance, groove, and a strong melody that you can hum along to after the first listen." A longtime staple on R&B/quiet storm stations over the course of eight recordings beginning with his 1988 , -- working with labelmate/guitarist and composer/producer -- shifted gears on toward a picture-perfect smooth jazz sound that built on his roots. The similarly spirited and passionate builds on that success with numerous picture-perfect tunes primed to inherit that throne. While only appears on the two songs he co-wrote with and produced -- the lilting and seductive and the funk-drenched retro-soul-blues gem -- the guitarist's influence is felt throughout the disc. worked with on the cool shuffling hip-hop-influenced opening track, (which features beautifully modulating his soprano verse by verse, as well as a cool fluegelhorn harmony line by ), as well as the irresistibly melodic and dreamy title track. , a virtuoso bassist who is also one of the genre's great veteran artists, wrote and produced highlighted by the unique blend of a throbbing bass and sax-driven melody swirled with ' synthesized orchestra grandeur. ~ Jonathan Widran