My Colors

How appropriate that Roger Smith chose to lead his relentlessly energetic, try-to-sit-still extravaganza My Colors with a slamming cover of George Duke's "Miss Wiggle," because the keyboardist perfectly captures all the jazz/funk blessings of Duke, along with a few of the pitfalls which tarnish many of the legend's recent projects. The first half of his tasty excursion in groove is a house music dance party with jazz chops even bebop purists can appreciate. Michael Paulo adds a graceful touch to a smooth cover of Jam & Lewis' "Can You Stand the Rain." But then Smith inexplicably "Dukes out" and takes on a supporting role to a series of fairly bland vocalists, a move that won't clear the room but stops the fire in its tracks. He redeems this with an infectious gospel singalong, which reminds us that his heart is in the right place after all. Focusing on the strengths, we're talking the emergence of a potential jack of all trades monster performer along the lines of Bobby Lyle and the largely overlooked Bob Baldwin. An exciting discovery.