DESCRIPTION:
With Stay Awhile (2007), his first release on the Nu Groove label, Soto has involved Lington once more but, additionally, drawn on a stellar array of talent that includes Euge Groove and Jeffrey Osborne plus the writing, performing and production talents of Paul Brown, Darren Rahn and Jeff Lorber. The CD is already creating quite a buzz and the radio single Slammin is racing up the chart of the thirty most played on American Smooth Jazz radio.

This catchy and in-your-face slice of Smooth Jazz is driven along by Sotos funky guitar and given depth by a brass section generated by Darren and Jason Rahn. Sax man Darren Rahn is rapidly making a name for himself both as a performer and producer. His work with Wayman Tisdale is well known and here with Just Like That he produces a mellow yet edgy track for Soto thats a real piece of driving with the top down music. Rahn is also at the mixing desk for the expansive and soulful Love Has Found A Way for which Jeffrey Osbornes vocals fit perfectly.

The album's only cover is the Paul Brown produced Send One Your Love that was a hit for Stevie Wonder back in 1979. Soto combines with the sax of Michael Lington to make this one feel brand new and Brown is back, as writer and producer, for Jaywalking. With Euge Grooves thrusting sax and Brown's unique touch everywhere this is a track that will knock your socks off.

Jeff Lorber makes a significant contribution that includes co-writing three songs with Soto. The first of these, the groove driven Make It Happen, is taken to another place by Gary Meeks rippling flute and with Lorber also producing and playing keyboards plus percussion the result is predictably good.

Feisty feel good Smooth Jazz is something that Soto does well and with both the title track and Holding On, where he collaborates to excellent effect with Mario Mendivil, he produces music that will make you smile. This is just one dimension of Sotos art and the contrasting facets of his playing are wonderfully demonstrated on what are arguably the albums three standout tracks.

First, and in mellow mode, he makes Daydreamin a joyous delight then links up with Jeff Lorber for Grooveland. Its a tune replete with Lorber's trademark rhythm and groove, his keys are of course first class and with Gary Meek coming up big on sax they together make this a top notch example of how great Smooth Jazz should sound. Later, when Soto, Lorber and Meek reunite for the smoky City Slicker, they produce a piece of groove driven Jazz thats nothing short of a masterpiece.

With this formidable line up of guest contributors Stay Awhile has not only propelled Jay Soto into the rarified reaches of the Smooth Jazz chart it has also delivered an album of consummate quality that will put him right on the Smooth Jazz map.

Buy CD:
http://www.amazon.com/Stay-While-Jay-Soto/dp/B000OCZ9Z0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1268591854&sr=8-1