Hang Time
Tisdale may never completely step out of the shadow of the great bassistStanley Clarke, but he is further emerging with his own voice on each album--and Clarke has never led the NCAA in scoring. The former pro hoopster can't help the Clarke-influenced phrasing he burns into "Ready to Hang," "The Time Is Here," and "Off Into It." Producer/keyboardistJeff Lorbermakes everybody on his team better, and he's in the lineup on three tracks. Synthesizer programmer James Lloyd fromPieces of a Dreamalso contributes with a duet on the title track, feeding Tisdale a funky slam dunk. Tisdale's cover of "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" could easily cross over to the urban pop market, but his version ofSmokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" is the only real air ball.--Mark Ruffin