Since 1999, saxophonist and bandleader
Mindi Abair has thrown curveballs at those who would pigeonhole her. After a slew of charting smooth jazz albums, she issued the throwback soul album
In Hi-Fi Stereo in 2010. She played in the house band for two seasons of American Idol and toured as
Aerosmith's saxophonist. 2014's
Wild Heart included her vocals and guest appearances from
Booker T. Jones,
Keb' Mo', and
Gregg Allman, and
Trombone Shorty in a collision of greasy roadhouse rock and funk. After four albums with the
Boneshakers, she returns to solo recording with
Forever, on her own
Pretty Good for a Girl Records.
Recorded in March 2020,
Forever's ten tracks contain nine originals and a cover. Co-produced with
Bud Harner, her core band includes drummer/backing vocalist
Abe Laboriel, Jr. guitarist
Tim Pierce, bassist
Sean Hurley, and keyboardist
Rodney Lee. Opener "Fine Wine and Vinyl" is easy-rocking Americana whose driving instrument is a slide guitar.
Abair's voice is thin and reedy, but she can write a hell of a melodic hook. Its romantic lyrics nostalgically name-checks classic tunes from
Carole King,
Van Morrison, and
the Four Tops. On the title instrumental, she breaks out the tenor and with her trademark gritty, earthy tone delivers a sparkling, souled-out groover. The band's middle-eight breakdown frames a soaring saxophone solo. "Call Me By Your Name" is a clattering roots rocker co-written with
the Hooters'
Eric Bazilian -- who also plays mandola on the track. The wry lyric details her life-affirming romance and marriage to
Eric Guerra. The slippery Americana number "Say It with Love" is a duet with
the Mavericks'
Raul Malo. It's one of five tunes to feature
the Rainbows, a created-on-the-spot harmony group with
Steve Perry,
Laboriel, and
Melanie Taylor. "April" a jazz instrumental, balances
Abair's tenor with
Pierce's biting guitar; a ticking rim shot walks along before bringing in the entire band. "What About Love" sounds like the
Tower of Power Horns playing grimy, funky, R&B-scorched blues-rock with
Sly Stone. Guest
Kenny Wayne Shepherd underscores that notion with a pyrotechnic solo before trading fours with
Abair. "Where There's a Woman There's a Way" is a cinematic power ballad and a powerfully poignant song. Unfortunately, its bombastic (over)production almost drowns the vocal and melody. The cover is a fantastic read of
James Morrison's "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You." It offers killer sax breaks, spiky guitar solos, and resonant, high-flying horns. "Midnight in San Francisco" is a gospel-tinged instrumental. Tenor sax entwines with electric guitar in a vulnerable, stirring melody.
Forever contains plenty to compel fans of smooth jazz, while lovers of
Wild Heart and
Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers'
No Good Deed have more than enough here to cement their interest. Those without preconceptions will benefit from
Forever the most. It's unpretentious, funky, pop that crisscrosses roots genres with passion, craft, raw immediacy, and chops galore. ~ Thom Jurek
