Eschewing the orchestrated sound that dominated much of his 1970s output, the
Across 110th Street
soundtrack being the definitive example, with
The Poet
Womack
stays in that slick vein, but this time does so with a soft jazz feel. Workouts like
"Where Do We Go from Here"
contain long intros and codas with
's gruff vocal style trading off with the silky voices of a female choir; on
"So Many Sides of You,"
one of the more rollicking songs on the record, the piano, drums, and
Nathan East
's bass are as crisp as a new dollar bill. A bonus, aside from the songs, is the great cover art, which shows
decked out in a lavender sports coat and a pair of sunglasses, which only someone of his soulful grace could pull off. ~ Steve Kurutz