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PETE BELASCO
Deeper
(JAP Victor, 2003/US Compendia, 2004)

Hurry Hurry – Deeper – I’ll Come To You – Keep On – Too Close – Crazy – Fool’s World – Nia – Wonderful Woman – Zoe – People Ask Me

This CD is absolutely blinding! Produced by blue-eyed soulster Joel Kipnis (aka JK), "Deeper" is smooth like silk; a masterpiece of soulful jazz-fusion sung with a sensuous, delicate and extremely deliberate Marvin Gaye / Curtis Mayfield style by the master of smooth tonsils himself, Pete Belasco. Pete whispers around and his soft falsetto caresses the soft bass and sweet sax in absolute perfect symbiosis. Lovers of Curtis and Marvin and JK’s "What’s The Word" album from 1998 will know roughly what to expect. In fact, readers who have been swept away by the recent Impromp2 and Frank McComb sets will definitely want this in their collections.
This is "smooth jazz" without the schmaltz, offering real instrumentation, the most smooth and wispish of vocalists, a velvet undercurrent and the result is one of the most more-ish jazz vocal albums that I can remember in a long time. Quiet Storm a colytes will adore this album and there are so many standout cuts for me I find it hard where to begin. Let’s put it this way: within the first 30 seconds of "Hurry Hurry" I just KNEW I had to have this album.
When I heard this I had not discovered the magnificence of "Deeper", "I’ll Come To You" and the others. There more I played this song the more I was swept up into the luxurious, expansive warm world that this CD emanated and I find myself quiet emotional at the intensity, if one can call it that, of the first track that I was very moved by it. Call me an old romantic, soft in the head or whatever I just don’t care. But one thing I know, dear readers, is that when a song and an album can grab me by the heartstrings and effect such stimuli then I am definitely onto something here.
The very expensive price of new Japanese releases can be off-putting when money is tight but I do not begrudge a single penny against this album. "Deeper" is like the most glorious Boney James / Brian Culbertson track you have ever heard but with more zing! Once Pete begins his magic I am transported to Impromp2 / Marvin land again; the subtle tickling funky wah-wah guitar and organ work are straight from heaven and the help of the sexy Robyn Springer (solo artist and JK member), Wincey Terry and Charrise Davis on backing vocals blows it into the fourth dimension. Bassist Bashiri Johnson also adds his spice to the flavoursome offering and he can be heard on a multitude of songs as well as Robert Rodriguez on the heavenly "Keep On". There are a few intriguing instrumentals such as the sexy and saxy "Crazy", "Nia" which is also downtempo. "Zoe" is beautiful…the sax overlaying the vibes are really warm in a Grover Washington moment, but is for my like way too short.
The final cut, and final instrumental is straight from the 70s and the Hammond organ and lively sax interplay wonderfully, but at literally JUST over 2 minutes this is too short. So short, yet so sweet too. I guess too much of a good thing is bad for us, but as far as I am concerned I want to hear more from the super-talented man and the wonderful JK and crew. "Deeper" is another inclusion into my top albums of 2003.

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