Victor

It's fitting that Bay Area-based soul-jazz vocalist Victor Fields released this disc on Valentine's Day; in the tradition of Jon Lucien and Bobby Caldwell, Fields applies his deep, rich resonant voice to a variety of romantic standards and compositions. Curiously, while he seemed to be establishing himself as a singer/songwriter on his debut album, Promise, here he defers to a unique array of talent — including smooth jazz jack of all trades Chuck Loeb (the balmy, mid-tempo first single, "This Could Be Paradise"), Stevie Wonder (a dreamy, up-tempo twist on "Golden Lady"), Diane Warren, and Vince Gill. Displaying some diversity and a true sense of jazz tradition, Fields also takes subtle but emotionally resonant approaches to "Lush Life" and "Night and Day." Despite the varying tempos, the ambience — created by the singer's musical director and producer, guitarist Chris Camozzi — is definitely perfect for a lovely romantic evening. While the emphasis is on the vocals throughout, Camozzi creates a true sense of jazzy excitement with Bill Ortiz's trumpet and John R. Burr's lively piano solo on the most memorable track, the soaring and anthemic "We'll All Be Free." Smooth jazz radio stations are usually resistant to playing AC vocalists who aren't named Sade or Anita Baker, but hopefully, Fields' association with veteran genre performers Loeb and Camozzi will help his chances of getting heard.