Special EFX Global Village

Special EFX: Chieli Minucci (guitar); George Jinda (percussion).

Additional personnel: Bon Mintzer (saxophone); Kenny Werner (piano); Steve Skinner (keyboards); Fernando Saunders, Gerald Veasley (bass); Lionel Cordew (drums).

The duo of guitarist Chieli Minucci and percussionist George Jinda were co-leaders of Special EFX for many years. Generally their collarboations have been closer to folk and world music than to jazz. On this CD the many sidemen help take the music into other directions, especially toward lightweight jazz, soft funk and even pop. But, despite the participation of keyboardist Kenny Werner, bassist Gerald Veasley and saxophonist Bob Mintzer on some numbers, the music is never exciting and rarely at all memorable. A disappointment. ~ Scott Yanow