Jumpin' Thru Hoops

Jazz's hardcore tends to lump all pop-jazz together, but the truth is that not all pop-jazz is created equal. Very much a mixed bag, Dotsero's fifth album, Jumpin' Through Hoops, demonstrates that NAC music can be either substantial or incredibly schlocky and banal. The Colorado group is at its sappiest and most insipid on "If You Only Knew," "The Perfect Gift," "Portrait of Amy" and the very Kenny G-ish "Home Again," all of which sound like they were recorded with a dentist's office in mind. NAC stations of the 1990s tended to favor the bland over the risk-taking, and part of the time, Dotsero was only too happy to give NAC programmers what they wanted. But some of the CD's other tunes are fairly enjoyable and find Dotsero getting into a congenial yet edgy groove that recalls the Marc Russo era of the Yellowjackets. "Midnight Mood" and "Me and Jesse Lee" aren't nearly as interesting as the Yellowjackets' compositions, but unlike "If You Only Knew" or "Home Again," they aren't outright schlock either. Sometimes decent and sometimes hard to take, Jumpin' Through Hoops demonstrates that Dotsero's members have talent even though they aren't always willing to use it.