Ladies' Choice

Description

In fact, four ladies have chosen to sing on have chosen to sing on Ladies' Choice, smooth jazz saxist Paul Taylor's latest. In order of appearance, they are LaToya London, Regina Belle, Terry Dexter, and Belle again. It makes sense that Belle gets two features: Her pop-soulful vocals bring a kind of Anita Baker intensity to the proceedings. On "How Did You Know" and "Open Your Eyes," both of which she co-wrote with the album's hitmaking producer, keyboardist Barry Eastmond (who has worked with Baker), she manages the feat of adding background vocals that contrast nicely with the lead ones. There's nothing particularly distinctive about Taylor's silky sound on alto and soprano, but the doubled-horn effects provide pop and he comes up with some distinctive effects on Vocoder. Guitarist Phil Hamilton's romantic wah-wah effects also deserve mention. --Lloyd Sachs