Euge Groove - Born 2 Groove Review

Bottom-Line: In the world of Smooth Jazz album Born 2 Groove is relatively short, checking in at (10) tracks, but those tracks have been well worth the double take.      

Euge Groove is a Contemporary (Smooth) Jazz saxophonist with a sound and style similar to that of Richard Elliot, in fact he replaced him in the famed Jazz group Tower of Power when Elliot decided to pursue what is now a very successful solo career.  Euge Groove is also known for his (Pop) session work, most notably with the Miami girl group Exposé, which he has a No. sax sole hit on their album Seasons Change, and yet another on their 1993 hit CD I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me).

Having not listened to Euge Groove's other offering I have nothing to compare Born 2 Groove to; I can only tell you that the sound is somewhat fresh, soulful, and engaging.  A big fan of the saxophone I have historically gravitated toward those artists.  Groove is certainly a talented horn-smith and most of the CD is enjoyable if not predicable and formulaic.  Born 2 Groove is supposed to be a spiritual album, not Gospel Jazz per- se, but its sound is supposed to invoke a feeling of deep peace and inner connection.  Hey this was not my idea!     

My Viewpoint

However, upon first listen, this CD failed to grab my musical attention; there was no instant connection, no burning desire to hear it over and over again.  No one song reached out and grabbed my musical sweet-tooth.  So I let it alone for a while and recently came back to it and listened more closely to the music and found a few tracks I like more than others, and that overall the CD is worth a spin or two while on the road.   

Perhaps not being a student of  gospel music , I don't really hear that genres influence on the tracks of the CD, save for maybe one, track No. 8 I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, and that is stretching it; the track's R&B influence is much more telling.  That said, Born 2 Groove sounds pretty much like other Smooth Jazz CD's that have come before it; a little funk, a little R&B, some Pop, and altogether just pleasant to listen to.

Not that no track failed to stand out; I particularly like track No. 3 Café del Soul a whimsical little number that easy to whistle to, and I like whistling to my Smooth Jazz tunes, as my wife will surely attest to.  Another is track No. 4 Slow Jam, an unpretentious number where the sax is strong, vibrant, and thankfully takes center stage. 

In the world of Smooth Jazz album Born 2 Groove is relatively short, checking in at (10) tracks, but those tracks have been well worth the double take.