COMPOSERS: Various
LABELS: Private Music
WORKS: jazz
PERFORMER: AJ Croce (v, p) and band, with guests Snooky Young (flug); Robben Ford (g); Ron Carter (b); Jim Keltner (d)
CATALOGUE NO: 100 582 1082
With his gravelly, blues-drenched voice reminiscent of Dr John, and a sly, rollicking piano style to match, 21-year-old AJ Croce has produced an uplifting debut album of seven rousing originals and five truffles chosen from his R&B milieu. His wry vocal style is better suited to humorous material – ‘He’s Got a Way With Women (And Now He’s Got Away With Mine)’ – than to the ballad, but his lively approach, underpinned by the cream of R&B jazz session players, is thoroughly entertaining. Chris Parker