Sean Trane Fourth (or fifth, not sure) CTI album for Grover, Secret Place certainly has better aesthetics than All The King’s Horses, partly because the cast is much more restrained and featuring less stars - if you’ll except Steve Khan on guitar for one track. Ok, in the meantime, there were the outstanding Mister Magic and Feel So Good albums, which the present tries to emulate; only partly succeeding so. One of the heroes of this album is Dave Grusin on piano, and he sometimes steals the spotlight from Grover.

Opening on the mildly exciting 8-mins+ title track, not that far away from a good type of fusion, but the following Hancock cover of Dolphin Dance is relatively boring. OK, it gradually picks up speed and energy. The album’s better track is the funky and slightly brassy Not Yet with some good energetic soloing from Gale, then Grover. The closing track’s title Love Makes It Better gives you an idea about the music’s mushiness, but it’s still acceptable (read, not scandalous), despite overstaying its welcome halfway through.

ASP is a relatively short album with only two tracks per side, none reaching above 9-mins. In theory, it’s the kind of instrumental JR/F album I’d have expected to like, but the lack of energy and its studio slickness kind of disservice it. Not Grover’s best CTI album, Go for Mister Magic or Feel So Good instead.