No Doubt
Self-Released, 2018
8/10
The vocalist and alto saxophonist Braxton Cook brings much variety to the jazz scene, where soul, R&B and even variations of rock enter this strong sophomore album that debuted at #2 on the iTunes Jazz Charts and has seen 5+ million streams.
The title track starts the listen with playful percussion as a soulful setting of Cook’s skilled saxophone prowess guides the atmospheric opener, and “When You Hold Me” follows with expressive vocals as R&B qualities enter the spirited, groove filled environment.
At the halfway point, “For More” burns slow with keys amid the romantic and extremely soulful landscape, while “Pretend” offers a lush display of strong percussion, warm keys and creative brass in the unpredictable album highlight.
Close to the end, “Lost Ones” offers an instrumental with an improvisational feel as all players contribute in energetic, sometimes rowdy ways, and “Outro” exits the listen with some surprises as synth and organs enter the frisky yet graceful finish of flourishing neo-jazz ideas.
Cook doesn’t hide his influence from legends like John Coltrane and Frank Ocean, thankfully, and he’s using his unparalleled skill to carve out a very unique spot for himself where there’s a larger presence on vocals (he sings on more than half the tracks), as his well thought out melodies resonate with nostalgia amid a very modern approach that just gets better with each subsequent release.
Travels well with: Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah- Ancestral Recall; R+R= Now- Collagically Speaking