Balance

Will Sellenraad grew up in a place and time many people dream of: New York City's downtown scene of the '60s and '70s, when music and art were both in a state of quicksilver flux. Given that his parents (prominent New York artists themselves) named their son after modern-art pioneers William de Kooning and Piet Mondrian, it is pure serendipity that Sellenraad's Beezwax Records debut reflects the sound of CTI, a record label that got just as much criticism as the works of the aforementioned modern artists. Mixing jazz's electric transformation with a tantalizing R&B sensuality, Creed Taylor's CTI label released records by artists including Freddie Hubbard, Grover Washington Jr., and George Benson throughout the '70s. Often featuring Hall of Famers like Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock and Billy Cobham, they still stand up today. For those who still hold the defunct label's catalog dear, Balance hits a satisfying sweet spot. Balance makes no statement other than "Sit back, relax, open your ears real wide, and let's see how far that smile can stretch." This may confound those who demand fealty to some unnamed musical higher calling, but Sellenraad's music is tailor-made for that first spring night when it's warm enough to roll down the car windows, pop the sunroof, and let the stars pour in. That was CTI Records at it's best. And so is this.