Popular urban jazz saxophonist Mindi Abair has had her share of smooth funk hits, but her powerhouse, guitar heavy live shows reveal that she’s a rocker at heart. She’s toured with Aerosmith and played a benefit with Bruce Springsteen—experiences that inspired her to play with edgy abandon on her latest recorded set. While not fully giving up her infectious pop vibe and mix of sax and dreamy vocal leads, Abair takes her energy to the next level with a crazy-cool guest list of big inspirations, including Gregg Allman, Joe Perry, Booker T. Jones, Keb’ Mo’, Max Weinberg and others. – Jonathan Widran
Heads Up • Producers: Mindi Abair & the Decoders • Score: 7 out of 10
