Fasten you seatbelts and observer the no smoking sign.  Life In The Balance from pianist/composer Al Daniels will get you flying.  It opens with a wonderful jazz statement, JAZZED CATS, one of those feel good tunes that force a grin on your face.   Next, LIFE IN THE BALANCE, the title cut, starts with a Manhattan Transfer scat, and then takes you on a blue path.  WATERFALL has a heart pumping beat that forces you to play it again before continuing to the next cut.  A JOURNEY WITHOUT END possesses that rare feel few musicians can pull off.  NEW BLUES THANG is anything but blue, funky to the max.  AFRAID TO CALL IT LOVE sounds like James Ingram should have picked this up. THE ROAD TO SALAMANCA, my favorite tune on the CD, has a wonderful laid-back feel and Daniels is running on all keyboard cylinders.  THE GOSPEL TRUTH has a clever melody, a nice progression and a great Hammond B3 sound where you can almost feel the Leslie speaker rotating around you.  SAMBA – AL will teach you how to kick back and enjoy a melodic Latin breeze, and finally wrapping up this collection is a wonderful solo affidavit.  INTIMATE PURSUIT seems to be as much a display of Al's compositional aptitude as it is a portrait of his inner attitude.  My advice, BUY THIS CD!  It's worth twice the price.  Thanks Al, for creating such an auditory gem.
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