Gerald Veasley - On the Fast Track (2001)

For his fifth album as a leader (not counting the many he recorded as part of the Joe Zawinul Syndicate and as a member of Grover Washington, Jr.'s backing band), six-string bassist Gerald Veasley pushes the smooth jazz envelope a bit. Those who like their grooves gentle and their textures lush will still find plenty to like here – the rich strings on his cover of Stevie Wonder's "Do I Do," for instance, or the sweet and lovely "Goodnight Moon," written in honor of Washington. But there's a certain toughness at the center of the music this time out, and a greater willingness to let loose. The massed horns of "Kickin' 22 Express," the driving mid-tempo funk of his arrangement of the Ramsey Lewis classic "The In Crowd," the snaky and virtuosic unison lines on "You Asked for It" – all of these point to someone who is not ultimately satisfied with just creating pleasantly swinging background music. More power to him. – Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Tracks:
1.Waiting to Board - :22
2.On the Fast Track - 3:55
4.Next Stop Soulville - 4:30
5.The "In" Crowd - 3:44
6.Kickin' 22 Express - 4:11
7.Heaven to Earth - 5:21
8.You Asked for It - 4:19
10.Deep Blue Samba - 4:52
11.I Desire - 3:54
12.Under the Cape Town Sun - 4:14
13.Goodnight Moon (For Grover) - 4:01