Breakthrough

When Wayman Tisdale died in 2009, the urban-influenced smooth jazz genre lost one of its most popular artists and vibrant personalities — and the uniqueness of the melodic funk he brought to the electric bass, a rare lead instrument in the format. A blind listen to "On Your Feet," the buoyant and infectious high-octane first single from Julian Vaughn's Trippin N Rhythm debut, might give listeners the impression that Tisdale had returned. Making the comparison even more legit is Vaughn's size (6'7," just a few inches shorter than Tisdale, a former NBA All-Star) and the fact that "On Your Feet" and the similarly spirited "J's Jammin'" were co-written and produced by Darren Rahn, a former Tisdale collaborator who continues to be a master at wrapping the lead bass melody with sizzling horn textures. It's interesting to note that Tisdale also played an inspiring role on the Kansas City-based Vaughn's 2010 indie debut The Purpose Project. Vaughn was blown away by Mel Brown's supporting basslines on "Never Gonna Give You Up," a Tisdale/Toby Keith duet — and subsequently hooked up with Brown and his friend Rahn to be part of his debut. Beyond the Rahn tracks and the essential Tisdale vibe that Vaughn creates, Breakthrough is something of an ultimate urban jazz collection, balancing the bounce and bubbly with cooler, midtempo gems like "The Thought of You" and the liquid soul closer "Always Be Together," both of which feature spotlights for the elegant creative touch of teen phenom keyboardist Nicholas Cole, who also produced the whimsical, shuffle-groove driven "Ju Ju's Groove" and a snazzy, old-school-influenced cover of the Whispers' late-'80s hit "Rock Steady." There's enough freshness, invention, and diversity in Vaughn's playing, composing, and production style to all but guarantee that at some point, the Tisdale associations will give way to an exciting young force to be reckoned with in contemporary instrumental music. It's an impressive Breakthrough.