Alex Bugnon displays a variety of influences on
Soul Purpose, his second album to be marketed as a
contemporary jazz release. The title track, as its name suggests, borrows from '60s
Memphis soul, even if much of it is played on synthesizers. In his sleeve note for
"EWF," he writes, "Learning every
Earth, Wind & Fire song was a big part of my musical education." Actually, that tune doesn't sound much like
Earth, Wind & Fire, but
"Rio.com" (nominally a Brazilian number) and
"Changes" certainly do, though
Bugnon smoothes out the band's familiar
funk rhythms. He attempts to show off his
jazz chops on a cover of
John Coltrane's
"Giant Steps" that sounds more like a studio goof, lasting only a minute, but his version of
Duke Ellington's
"In a Sentimental Mood" actually shows reverence. These differing genre exercises are the most notable aspects of the album, but they really just provide variety to what is otherwise a fairly pedestrian set of
contemporary jazz pieces. As is de rigueur for the genre, a steady, smooth-but-slightly-funky rhythm track underlies a couple of repetitive melodic patterns on each song, over which
Bugnon solos on acoustic piano, sometimes adding a Hammond B-3 organ or Fender Rhodes track. His improvisations have narrow limits, and the pieces simply roll along for about four minutes each before fading out. A couple (
"Around 12:15 AM," "Can't Get You out of My Mind") have rudimentary vocals consisting of a line or two. It's a formula designed to appeal to
smooth jazz radio and is as anonymous as most of what is played on such stations. The
Ellington track indicates
Bugnon is capable of more, but the blander stuff no doubt pays the bills. ~ William Ruhlmann
