Weldon Irvine

Recorded with an exemplary supporting cast featuring pianist Don Blackman, guitarist Eric Gale, and saxophonist Michael Brecker, Sinbad explores the extremes of Weldon Irvine's music, juxtaposing several of the keyboardist's funkiest, most energetic grooves to date alongside mellow, contemplative performances of uncommon intricacy and beauty. Inspired in both sound and spirit by the soul-searching Motown efforts of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, complete with covers of their respective "What's Going On" and "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," Sinbad contrasts the elegant soul-jazz contours and luminous, horn-driven arrangements of the title cut and "Do Something for Yourself" alongside the nuances and soft pastels of "I Love You" and "Music Is the Key." The resiliency of Irvine's vision and the vibrant performances of his collaborators nevertheless create a kind of yin-yang dynamic that enables the album's divided soul to operate in harmony.