I’M rather surprised I ended up liking this compilation from smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz. The whole mainstream idea may not quite appeal to me, but this particular selection of songs somehow got me hooked.

Koz has a straightforward approach: a solid, rich tone that holds the melody of a song really clear-cut, and, rhythmically, mostly strict in tempo. This somewhat simplistic style results in a lack of improvisation though, with the exception of the track Bada Bing, where Koz does a bridge section that actually sounds like a solo rather than the brief “noodling” he does on some of the other tracks.

The duets turned out really well. Love is On the Way (featuring Chris Botti) displays a great conversation between the saxophone and the trumpet, especially towards the end of the song.

In a new track, I Can (featuring BeBe Winans), Koz makes way for Winans to have his moment in the spotlight, while maintaining the soul when he does his bits. This ballad was refreshing, with the regular synthetic keyboards moving aside for the more natural sound of the piano.

An interesting fact I picked up: the track Emily became a No.1 pop hit right here in Malaysia back when it was released almost two decades ago! However, I can’t really understand why it was such a hit, as I felt it starts to lose focus midway through, and, in my opinion, is the weakest song on the album.

Conversely, And Then I Knew is arguably the best. I like the idea of contrasting styles; beginning with an edgy verse, providing the feeling of something like a silent disco about to begin – before the unleashing the lively mood of the chorus. Simple, yet very effective.

That pretty much sums up the whole Dave Koz picture.