Sunflower (40th Anniversary Edition)

Vibraphone master Milt Jackson flitted freely through subgenres over the course of his career, emerging in the bop era and gaining fame with post-bop pioneers The Modern Jazz Quartet. He'd recently come off a funky soul-jazz stint with the Ray Brown Big Band when he made the first of his string of albums for CTI. Sunflower marked another stylistic shift for Jackson, dovetailing with producer/label head Creed Taylor's vision of gracing contemporary jazz with elegant orchestrations. These tunes are framed with artful string and woodwind arrangements courtesy of Don Sebesky, but it's the interaction of the all-star core group that really makes Sunflower shine. Bass icon Ron Carter and premier fusion drummer Billy Cobham stir up a simmering funk on a smoky version of The Stylistics' R&B hit "People Make the World Go 'Round," while Herbie Hancock's piano and Freddie Hubbard's trumpet play tag with Jackson's vibes on the title track. And when Jackson's gentle tones cast a mellow glow on "For Someone I Love," it's clear why he's considered a poet of the vibes, no matter what style he's exploring.