Closer to Home

Many young players think it's hip to include retro-soul elements like Hammond B-3, Wurlitzer and wah-wah guitars into their smooth jazz mix; the five studio musician members of Jango, however, came of age as players in the 70s and revel in living completely in the past, unabashedly centering whole tunes (both vocal and instrumental) around the styles of Ace, Tom Scott and Steely Dan. Last year's debut Dreamtown was a bit too focused on copying the Becker-Fagen style, and while Steve Nieves' voice and the crafty lyrics of oddball tunes like "The Beard" and "Pink Flamingos" on Closer To Home are still in that vein, this overreliance on the overly familiar is balanced by new L.A. Express type instrumentals and gentle ballads like "What Your Heart Tells You" that offer a hint of greater depth. While a decent vocalist, Nieves shines brighter fronting on sax. Caressed by a rising brass section on "Soul Casserole," his jumpy alto leaps and dives around a crunching of wah-wah and rhythm guitars (by Nick Kirgo) and a swirling Fender Rhodes harmony by Steve LeGassick. The swinging funk tune "Diamond Drive" finds multiple textures of Nieves' horn and LeGassick's Rhodes creating a powerful duality, while Kirgo snaps along underneath. The band's exciting synergy is best summarized by "The Score - Part 2," a jam which blends horn accents, a si mmering sax line and brooding organ textured with a Rhodes harmony. "Kool Down EZ" offers a peek into what Jango would sound like without the constant 70's mindset. Then again, without that, a lot of the charm is lost.