Overall, I agree with both of the previous customer reviews. It’s a gorgeous album, and, your mood matters. The recording and engineering are superb. Each of the instruments expresses the clarity, tone and range it can. My father played and taught woodwinds, particularly saxophone. So I’ve heard a lot of sax. He’d even practice some of these pieces, and yes, this brings back memories. Jesper Staps is a wonderful player with lovely, melt into your soul, tone. But mood. Yes. As when enjoying an excellent wine, your mood greatly affects your experience. For me, I’d say this album is for when you’re ready to just let the music roll over you while you absorb the sounds, picking and choosing from a truly beautiful tonal tableau. Lastly, I’d say the label “Smooth Jazz” is mistaken. While passages of some tracks (clearly including the first, Carice) are open and relaxed, I find each also builds into an emotional intensity. I admit I find labels like this generally silly, and at best, necessary evils. Hopefully, we each find our own sense of any music.
