There has never been a more fulfilling sound than Jim Love & the Blue Groove. Whatever your favourite category of music is, this group unmistakably hits the mark, creating another album that deserves the wide appreciation of a universal audience. I've seen it referred to as acid jazz, but it's way too fantastic to be backed into a corner like that.

They have the groove and they have the blue, so what more could you ask for? The band sounds as if it has matured, relaxed and knows definitely what it likes, making huge progress since its release in 2003 of Gather 'Round. And that was a fine CD, too. There's still a lot of fun, a bit of comic inspiration and raw band sound at the beginning of some tracks but it's deliberate and does what it should do -- bring the band close to you.

It's generous, with nine nice long tracks adding up to more than 73 minutes. The musicians deserve an extra round of applause for their great skill and their sense of humour and total fabulosity. They are (drum roll, please) Jim Love on drums and percussion, Ray Clemens on upright bass, Seth Meicht on tenor saxophone (fairly delicious), Chris Genovese on guitar and Dave Dzubinski on keys; DJ Dstar does the cuts superbly (and I don't usually care for those anytime, anywhere -- 'til now), and then there's Jillian Ritchie who adds vocals that curl around your heart in an instant.

The fantastic music by this band is something to dish out your money for. This is one of the most exciting music CDs you'll hear in a long time. This disc has been playing now for the fourth round and it sounds new every time. If you're searching online, listen to track 3, "Last Round," to see if that impresses you and then just take it from there.

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