Power of the String
This recording starts off with Paul Jackson, a chameleon of a musician, slipping into the increasingly facelessGeorge Bensonsmooth school of octave guitar playing. Jackson checks into the similar styles ofNorman BrownandRonny Jordanon the first two tracks before displaying his own somewhat distinct voice on the third track, the ballad "Pour Noelle," featuring a soulfulBoney Jameson sax.The Power of the Stringthen suddenly makes a sharp turn from smooth jazz onto the R&B; road with a funky, radio-friendly version of theWhispers' dance classic, "Rock Steady," complete with clap track. Then comes the beautiful voice of Christian singer and former pop starDeniece Williamson a thinly disguised Jackson hymn, "You Always Satisfy," followed by a rerecording of a tune written by a member of the singing gospel family, the Winans. Jackson singsMarvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" in surprisingly good voice with members ofTake 6. The album ends with a straight-ahead jazz waltz that perhaps only devoted fans of this guitarist or his instrument will have sat through after being faced with such a hodge-podge of styles.--Mark Ruffin