Critics Love ifatoba!

Saxophonist Earnest Walker Jr. earned his first merits as performer in young age. During his stay in Philadelphia he was member of the group Blind Date. After his move to Miami he is a mainstay in the city of South Beach. His debut album is Raindrops In The Sun(1998), followed by Variations On A Groove (2006) and this year IFATOBA. In the ancient West African language, the title means "the king has arrived". Earnest has put much love into his new project, which is dedicated to his late mother. This already begins with the cover, which was created as part of a design competition. 

All songs on the new album with the exception of one cover are written by Earnest himself. He also performed most of the instruments with some help here and there.

The album kicks off with a power punch of entertainment. It's Party Time, and Earnest can be taken at his word. Perfect rhythm, pulsating bass and above it his spherical  saxophone lures you onto the dance floor. Check One Two makes it go slower, whereby the rhythm continues unmistakably.

Ordinary People was originally written and recorded by  Grammy awarded singer John Legend for his album Get Lifted (2004). The lead melody is celebrated by Earnest on sax, while all other instruments are performed by Bryan Williams. Earnest  captures wonderfully the emotional impact of the original.

The Kalimba interlude is a reminiscence of Maurice White. On Nujazz E Earnest fires up his rhythm machine again and shows himself as the king of the game. But Earnest is also a master of soft tones as he shows on Palm Avenue. Bourbon   Chill brings an exotic attitude into play, whereby Earnest's performance on sax leads to strong improvisations. Chandelle Drive is a horn driven tune as powerful as Trombone Shorty's fire crackers. Sweet Dreams is already remarkable because the rhythm in combination with the  bass creates a dense atmosphere, which is perfectly staged by Earnest on the saxophone.

Earnest's deep affinity for African percussion also finds many approaches and possibilities on Dimensions, even though the sax is his main instrument. His strong roots to his African music heritage are to hear in every note and beat. Chakaya's Eyes is Earnest's tribute to his beautiful wife. Keep this in mind, when you listen to this uplifting piece with a close relation to Africa.

Earnest Walker comments in the liner notes of his album, "this is more than your average smooth jazz recording". He is so right in this statement. An extraordinary album, which through the creative skills of its creator not only has unique characteristics but is unusually entertaining.

-- Hans-Bernd Hulsmann, Smooth-Jazz.de