js Although some might consider the terms smooth jazz and pop jazz synonymous, there can actually be quite a difference. Smooth jazz is a production style, a sometimes heavy handed attempt to induce a “relaxed” mood. Pop jazz, on the other hand, just means jazz with a tune and style that leans in a pop direction, but doesn’t necessarily imply the sort of energy draining qualities that often go with the smooth jazz sound. Artists like Ramsey Lewis and Wes Montgomery have put out excellent high energy creative pop jazz albums over the years, which is my lead in to this excellent modern pop jazz album, “Way”, by Israeli guitarist Meir Shitrit. “Way” is modern pop jazz with a pronounced international flavor as Meir not only pulls influence from his native Israel, but also India, Turkey and the US. Being a long time fan of Indo fusion music, if I did not have this artist’s bio, I would have guessed this was an Indian album. There is a beautiful languid flow to the rhythms and the melodies are often counter-pointed in a distinctly Indian style.

Meir is a virtuoso guitarist, and occasionally he’ll fire off a rapid solo or riff that is sure to please the fusion crowd. He handles a wide variety of “axes’ on here, but I especially enjoy the snaky sound of his lap steel guitar. This being a melodic album, it does help that the melodies on here are excellent, catchy without being cloy or overly simple. This CD has been getting a lot of spins for me lately, it doesn’t wear out easily and has a nice buoyant effect. Although most of this album centers around an Indo/Middle Eastern fusion sound, towards the end of “Way”, Meir digs into some funky RnB with a strong but slinky guitar sound that recalls Jeff Beck and Oz Noy. The future looks good for Meir Shitrit, this is an excellent debut CD and the production is bright and strong without a trace of smooth jazz gratuitous compression and reverb.