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When I first experienced this young lady’s considerable prowess on tenor sax, I was aboard The Smooth Jazz Cruise 2014 (which I covered here on the Jazmine Ghentsite, leaving the review posted for about a year). I predicted then that we’d hear more from this saxtress who won the SJC 2014 amateur artist contest. I believe she then went by the pseudonym Jazmin J, offering a most convincing and stirring arrangement of the classic “Summertime.” After just a little over a year later, she has reemerged, this time as Jazmin Ghent, with her debut release Boss.

The album is a tasteful, well-produced one where she has penned all but two tracks and easily convinces listeners that her freshness and clean, solid style are just what we jazzers are looking for in the effort to regularly breath happy, new life into this genre we so love.

Introducing herself with robust confidence, Ghent offers a sassy interpretation on the classic “Compared to What” followed by “Maybe Someday,” a tender, rather romantic, light dance of melody that only a true jazz artist can deliver. She then proceeds to make certain that she marks some of C-jazz’s smoothly soulful turf as Ghent turf by sauntering in with the very expressive “Ghentle.”

The title track is as “phat” and funky as you could ever want, delivered with boldness, a touch of rawness, and plenty of oomph, and tracks like “Eyo” and “Jazzy Jazz” should signal that we are in for a long, satisfying run with Ghent.

I am so pleased that this new saxtress struts onto the C-jazz scene even faster than I’d imagined and comes fully prepared and equipped with classy artistry, great skill, and a full feel for what Ghent jazz will offer. Wonderful inaugural journey. – Ronald Jackson 

Tracklist:

01. Compared To What (4:12)
02. Maybe Someday (4:41)
03. Ghentle (4:00)
04. Boss (3:26)
05. Memories Of You (4:42)
06. Sriracha (4:24)
07. Trust In You (4:29)
08. Eyo (3:10)
09. Jazzy Jazz (3:55)