Walter Beasley For Your Pleasure

Personnel: Walter Beasley (vocals, soprano & alto saxophones); Chuck Loeb

(keyboards, guitar, programming); Andrew Sherman, Dow Brain (keyboards, programming); Mike Ricchiuti (keyboards); Jeff Lockhart, Tyrone Chase, Brian Monroney (guitar); Baron Browne, Ron Jenkins (bass); David Cole (drums, programming); Scott Rammer, Dino Esposito (programming); Karen Bell, Yuri Camino (background vocals).

Producers include: Walter Beasley, Dino Esposito, Scott Rammer, Baron Browne, Chuck Loeb.

Engineers include: Andrew Sherman, Tom Waltz, Phil Magnotti.

Personnel: Walter Beasley (alto saxophone); Chuck Loeb (guitar, keyboards, drum programming, percussion programming); Tyrone Chase, Jeff Lockhart, Brian Monroney (guitar); Dino Esposito, Scot Rammer (keyboards, midi, drum programming); Andrew Sherman (keyboards, drum programming); Dow Brain, Mike Ricchiuti (keyboards); David Cole (drum programming); Yuri Camino, Karen Bell (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Dennis Wall; Paul Wickliffe; Phil Magnotti; Scott Blockland; Tom Waltz.

Recording information: Brook Sound, Irvington, NY; Compound, Las Vegas, NV; Shapiro Studios, Boston, MA; Undergro; Waltz Audio, Boston, MA.

Photographer: Bill Bernstein.

Arranger: Chuck Loeb.

Saxmen always seem intent on giving listeners a fair amount of pleasure, as Marion Meadows (Pleasure) and now Walter Beasley on For Your Pleasure demonstrate. Beasley -- who started his career in the '80s as an R&B singer and does a nifty quiet storm dance on "Do You Wanna Dance" -- commits to this concept in the most logical way possible; for two key tracks, he relies on the writing and trip-hoppy production expertise of Scot Rammer and Dino Esposito, who hit pay dirt with Paul Taylor last year on -- what else? -- Pleasure Seeker. On the title track, Beasley winds his swaying soprano melody over an odd meter, skittery percussion bed before going a little out and improvising just a bit. "From This Moment On" takes a similar route, only with more clicking and a deeper bass sound. Elsewhere, Beasley turns to labelmate/guitarist Chuck Loeb, who engages Beasley in a blues meets hip-hop playground on "If You Knew," restraining his own electric so the saxman can hit all the high notes without producer interference. Beasley pays tribute to his fallen comrade (and stylistic soul mate) George Howard with a spunky cover -- similarly arranged to Howard's version -- of the Jam/Lewis hit "Everything I Miss at Home." Like Meadows, Howard, and Taylor, Beasley knows how to hit the little adventure spots in the mix, turning even the simplest melodies into truly pleasurable listening experiences. ~ Jonathan Widran