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(The Fusion was together from the mid-'70s through the early '80s, and that includes warts and all.) Despite the glorious melodies, beautiful keyboard passages, and irresistible funk, a few spacey synth solos would be conspicuously cornball if they were played today. The 16 tracks perfectly represent a time that postdates the hardcore jazz fusion of the early '70s and predates smooth jazz. The buoyant funk tune "Fusion Juice" sums up the spirit and percussive energy the band had, and which the keyboardist has carried on into his popular '90s work. It was pop, it was soul, it was rock-fusion, with dashes of jazz, blues and - dare it be mentioned, yet of its time - a dash of disco. Lorber states that he wants to "bring fusion back, with a twist," and with Now Is The Time, the keyboardist has clearly accomplished his objective.Long before the coining of the radio-generated buzzwords "new adult contemporary" or "smooth jazz," the composer/keyboardist Jeff Lorber was riding a creative wave of pop/jazz fusion, building a loyal following for a synthesis of sound so fresh and distinctive that only one name could really define it - the Jeff Lorber Fusion. The recording could easily fall into the popular or smooth jazz category, and there is nothing wrong with that. This seems to be the intention of Lorber as producer, and stays true to the tradition he established early in his career. Now Is The Time offers a variation of tempos for nice conceptual listening, the songs flowing seamlessly from one to the next.
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Marienthal also teams up with the Blood Sweat and Tears horn section on full-bodied arrangements of "Pixel" and "Sumatra." The band lays a supporting foundation for special guest Eric Marienthal—a saxophonist perfectly suited for interacting with Lorber's weaving keyboards—on Wayne Shorter's title track to the Weather Report classic, Mysterious Traveller (Columbia, 1974), revived here with a funky treatment that works well. While acknowledged for his layered textural sound, Lorber also provides lucid piano accompaniment in just the right places. Vocalist Irene B penned the lyrics to the four selections on which she is featured, and contributes a soulful element to the production, notably the opening "Rain Dance/Wanna Fly," (with Randy Brecker on flugelhorn) and the sultry "Sugar Free." and Michael Thompson on alternating tracks. For his new version of the Jeff Lorber Fusion group, the keyboardist recruits bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, joined by guitarists Paul Jackson Jr. Now Is The Time represents a reinvention of Lorber's original musical trajectory, culled from his early catalog but given a fresh approach and identity. Keyboardist Jeff Lorber demonstrates why he has maintained his stature and reputation, while producing music which is easy on the ears and accessible to a broad audience. Only a handful of pioneering musicians can adapt the perception of fusion jazz into a contemporary mindset and make it palatable.