GRP (1999)

“Listening to Philippe Saisse is like taking a tour through a keyboard paradise with a master tour guide; sometimes he blows off course and sacrifices strong melodies for wild experimentation, but for the most part the ride is as varied and entertaining as the many thingamajigs in his arsenal. The album title implies a sense of easy romance, but that vibe is rare among the fun-filled happenings. Saisse is a great tease, opening “The Girl with Botticelli Eyes” with a majestic piano and synth string duet before diving into a heavy funk groove and hypnotic melody which combines a Fender Rhodes harmony with a sharp electric piano melody. Sometimes, he’ll let his guests take it easy while he hams it up; the seven-minute title track finds flugelhornist Jeff Beal lazing dreamily over a thick, industrial percussion trip-hop groove complete with mysterious voices, orchestral lines and improvisational piano solos. Jeff Golub provides the wah-wah guitar click on the schizophrenic opener “Fusionesque,” whose retro-soul vibe is so perfect it sounds like an intro to an old Barry White tune; then Saisse provides the perfect balance of acoustic piano warmth amid the machinery before going too far with a space age synth solo. Some may not like the constant experimentation, even though great melodies shine through. But in a genre where artists often have to think before they take wacky risks, Saisse scores high on the chutzpah meter.” ~ Jonathan Widran

Personnel: Philippe Saisse (piano, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, Farfisa, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, mini-Moog synthesizer, vocoder, vibraphone, marimba, bass marimba, percussion, programming, drum programming, background vocals); Tony V. (vocals, drums, cymbals, programming, drum programming); Ang�lique Kidjo (vocals, background vocals); Vanessa Falabella Donada, Cara Jackson (vocals); Richard Bona (acoustic guitar, electric bass); Jeff Golub (electric guitar); Chris Hunter (alto flute); Andy Snitzer (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jeff Beal (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason C. Golley (trumpet); John Clark (French horn); Michael Davis (trombone); Dave Bargeron (tuba); Fender Rhodes (electric piano, keyboards, percussion, drum programming, background vocals); Roland Vocoder (Farfisa, Wurlitzer organ, mini-Moog synthesizer); Tom Salta (keyboards, percussion, keyboard programming, drum programming); Jamie Myerson (keyboards, drum programming); Chris Minh Doky (acoustic bass); Ronald Jenkins (electric bass); Christian “Wicked” Wicht (drum programming); Curtis King, Brenda King, Vanessa Thomas, James “D-Train” Williams , Vaneese Thomas (background vocals).