Cynics might roll their eyes at the album's title – there is nothing at all edgy about this duo's buffed-to-a-high-gloss music – but The New Edge is actually one of Acoustic Alchemy's most entertaining releases. There's a playfulness to these tunes, like the puckish electronic drums on the flamenco-tinged and downright catchy "Notting Hill Two-Step" and the tongue-in-cheek boulevardier pretensions of the closing "Rive Gauche," that suggests a pair of sharp wits behind the well-packaged sheen of this music. The songs are a consistently memorable lot this time out, with a much higher than usual ratio of interesting melodies to snoozy new age mush, and the production, for once, is not so Velveeta-smooth that the record actually becomes hard to listen to.

Acoustic Alchemy continues with double guitar magic on their newest release, their GRP debut. They are recording all original tunes (with the exception of Paul Desmond's "Take Five") and are joined by keyboards, percussion and bass (as well as trombone on two cuts).

The least enviable aspect of being a successful artist in this genre is no doubt trying to meet three sets of expectations. First, there's the ongoing desire to evolve disc to disc and challenge oneself creatively. Then, there's heeding the criticism of purists and cynics who may hold a kernel of truth when they say your music's a little lightweight. And finally, the matter of not straying too far from everything that's proved magical and successful in the past, lest you alienate your precious supporters. How to strike a balance between all three? Ask Gregg Karukas, whose melodic touch and diverse sense of style have bound him from first generation Rippingtons circa 1987 to one of this decade's most popular performers.

Bob James' most enduring recording is perhaps one of his least adventurous. Full of simple laid-back melodies, light, airy grooves, and quiet backdrops, it's a smooth jazz "masterpiece." It's an enduring part of his catalog and was the launch pad for many movie and television projects, and for a string of hit recordings for the Warner label in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. In effect, it insured his financial security for the future. The set is notable for its heavyweight cast including David Sanborn, Ron Carter, Idris Muhammad, Steve Gadd, Eric Gale, Hubert Laws, and Earl Klugh. It also netted the monster hit "Angela (Theme from Taxi)," which continued to get airplay on smooth jazz stations into the 21st century. James is a highly developed pianist, arranger, and composer, and while the music here is as safe as milk, it nonetheless spoke to millions.

Positraction is the seventh studio album by electro-jazz group Four80East. Four80East is a Canadian electro jazz ensemble from Toronto with Rob DeBoer (keyboards, bass and guitar) and Tony Grace (percussion); accompanied by various session musicians. Although Four80East began as a studio concept, they have evolved into a live act. Four80East began as a studio project when DeBoer and Grace, who had been writing, arranging and producing for other artists on their Boomtang Records label, put together material of their own and released it as The Album, in 1997. The Album was well-received by critics and the public alike. It was followed by Nocturnal in 2001, and Round 3 in 2002.

The Braxton Brothers' debut album, Steppin' Out, tends to be a little bit too slick to actually qualify as improvisatory jazz, but the duo is a fine smooth jazz outift, working polished grooves that fuse light funk and soul with jazzy chords and pop melodies. The duo shows enough instrumental potential to suggest that they could craft a more adventurous album if they were willing to take the risk, but Steppin' Out is a pleasant listen in its own right.

The legendary keyboardist started making his unique brand of old-school soul meets modern funk back when old-school was still in session, and the title of his third Narada Jazz disc is a throwback to that era, when the 45 RPM was king. Rather than overwhelm this time with hardcore commercial funk grooves and calculated radio hooks, Jeff Lorber is more into cool vibes and soulful atmospheres. Melodies have always been his gift, so those just come naturally, as on the laid-back, chillout opening track, which features a lush, loose acoustic piano lead. There are less horns than usual, but Ron King (trumpet) and Gary Meek (sax) are given free reign to create snazzy textures on "Everybody Knows That" and the nifty, acoustic soul-jazz flavored title track.

How's this for a definition of a smooth jazz elder statesman: one whose career spans an entire generation, whose hit album in 1999 uses the same instrumentation and stylistic approach as his first demo 24 years before, only now those old instruments and style are hip again as part of a retro movement? Listened to side by side, Midnight and his 1977 breakthrough Water Sign are like twin sons born to the same family years apart. In addition to the hypnotic clicking wah-wah guitar grooves, both albums focus on Fender Rhodes and Hammond B-3, the attractive one-two keyboard punch Lorber has favored for all of his career but the mid-'80s when he experimented with techno sounds. Lorber sets the tone on the hiss-and-pop LP effect before the music begins on "Down Low."

As with previous release 'Now is the Time' Jeff Lorber is joined by the Yellowjackets' Jimmy Haslip on bass, Eric Marienthal on saxophones and Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl sharing drumming duties.Jeff once again takes some of his more popular tunes from the past, like "Wizard Island", "City" and "The Underground" and updates them with the new band. "Essentially this album is a part two", Lorber says. "It features the same rhythm section, but it's even more into the jazz fusion direction. It's more energetic and the performances are tighter." In total, 'Galaxy' includes 11 Jeff Lorber original compositions.

It's a Fact is the first solo album by the jazz musician Jeff Lorber.

Carnaval is fantastic collection of songs released by Spyro Gyra. The album was originally released in 1980, the start of their golden years. The cd itself is great. All of the songs are a pleasure to listen to, and have appropriate names for the tracks.Horn parts are an integral part of this record.

Over 35 years into one of contemporary jazz fusion's most extraordinary evolving musical journeys, Spyro Gyra entered the 2010s where they began – on their own indie label, Amherst Records, on which they released their self-titled debut in 1978. Driven by the melodic, jazzy, and increasingly global-minded vision of saxophonist and founder Jay Beckenstein, Spyro Gyra have undergone various personnel changes throughout the years while becoming serial world travelers.

Acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh has always had an appealing sound. This early session was reissued as a Blue Note CD in the 1970s. The melodic music that Klugh creates is quite pleasant, and he is accompanied by fellow guitarist Lee Ritenour, a rhythm section, and occasional horns and strings.