Editorial Reviews

Earth, Wind & Fire was also a heavy influence on saxman/producer Ron Brown, who includes a memorable take of "Devotion" -- featuring original co-writer Sheldon Reynolds on vocals, guitar, and bass -- on Urban Dreams, the debut of Brown's hip-hop/funk-jazz project Urban Jazz Network featuring superstars from the realms of smooth jazz (Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler) and straight-ahead (Kenny Garrett, Mulgrew Miller), as well as some of urban music's top session players. No doubt inspired by Ramsey Lewis' successful but less hard hitting Urban Knights gatherings, Brown functions as both lead voice and ringleader, depending on the style and tune. His soprano goes center stage for radio-friendly light funk pieces like "You and Me" and "Feel the Flow"; recognizing the strength of his guests, he switches to baritone to select his cues in between the explosive bebop action of Miller, Garrett, and trumpeter Patches Stewart on "Smiles for Miles." Brown also raps gently along with his soprano melody on the densely percussive retro-soul of "Roppongi Crossing," and creates a potent duality with Whalum on the soaring, organ driven blues-gospel piece "I Surrender All." Brown's apparent goal was to show all the ways modern R&B interacts with both pop and traditional jazz, a point driven home in sly fashion by rapper Isis on "All About Jazz," where she declares over a thumping quartet groove, "It's all about jazz with a little hip-hop mixed in." Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

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