As a rule,
David Sanborn's
Elektra output of the '90s had integrity. Whether he was being exploratory and introspective on
Another Hand or taking a more commercial,
R&B-minded approach on
Inside,
Sanborn avoided recording outright schlock during that decade. Make no mistake:
Inside is far from straight-ahead acoustic
jazz. Produced by
Marcus Miller and boasting such guest vocalists as
Sting,
Cassandra Wilson and
Lalah Hathaway,
Inside is definitely a commercial album. But commercial isn't necessarily a bad thing, and most of the material is tasteful. Whether he's getting into
instrumental funk-jazz grooves on
"Brother Ray," "Corners," and
"Trance" or featuring
Wilson on a likable remake of
Aretha Franklin's
"Daydreaming," this CD is certainly not without its pleasures. The high point of the album, however, is
Sting's haunting cameo on a cover of
Bill Withers'
"Ain't No Sunshine." Some of
Sanborn's solos could have been longer, but all things considered,
Inside is pleasing. ~ Alex Henderson
