01. Hypnotic 	4:06
02. Every Shade of Blue 	3:45
03. Celestial Skies 	2:59
04. Wavelength		 3:54
05. Breathing	 5:09
06. Trajectory 	4:14
07. Spinning	 4:44
08. Colored Glasses 	4:02
09. Walking in My Sleep	 3:57
10. Code Red	 4:19

Carol Duboc (vocals)
Jeff Lorber (keyboards, bass & guitar)
Vinnie Colaiuta (drums)
Brian Bromberg (acoustic bass)
Jimmy Haslip (electric bass)
Hubert Laws (flute)
Michael Thompson (guitars)
Lonny Castro  (percussion)
Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar)
Eric Marienthal (sax)
Dave Mann (horns)

From the sound of Colored Glasses, Carol Duboc’s seventh release, I’ll have to examine her entire catalog. An accomplished jazz singer, Duboc flexes her R&B chops as well as her songwriting skill on this self-penned 10-song album.

Colored Glasses begins with the layered and lush “Hypnotic,” a slow burning testament to the pull of love. Saxophonist Eric Marienthal provides soprano saxophone leads while Carol Duboc’s voice floats over the grove provided by master bassist Jimmy Haslip and drum guru Vinnie Colaiuta. On the track “Every Shade of Blue,” producer Jeff Lorber gets in on the act. In addition to holding down production duties, Lorber adds his distinctive stamp on keyboards and programming. His organ solo is effective but brief, however Duboc’s sass-filled vocal keeps everything moving.

“Celestial Skies” then shifts the tempo and tone of the album. In “Every Shade of Blue,” Carol Duboc explored the lower part of her wide range. With “Celestial Skies,” she shows how versatile her instrument is. The ballad is simply lovely and features a moving flute solo from Hubert Laws. The song “Spinning” evokes memories of classic ’70s-era R&B. Jeff Lorber is a gain the featured soloist, recalling an almost Rufus-like synth solo, but Duboc’s lyric simultaneously evokes images of nervousness and anticipation. Percussionist Lenny Castro augments the rhythm section on this gem.

Her title track picks up the pace. Guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. and Michael Thompson have a joyous interplay, which helps propel “Colored Glasses.” That energy is revisited with the song “Code Red,” ending the album with a blast of jazz/R&B energy. Duboc’s tale of desire, regardless of the warning signs, is a familiar tale to those who have loved and lost. The infectious grove and passionate vocals all but make you miss the song’s warning signs. Ultimately, you’ll find that listening to Carol Duboc’s Colored Glasses is the best kind of therapy. ---Preston Frazier, somethingelsereviews.com

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01. Elephant 3:49
02. Smile 3:45
03. Unpredictable 4:02
04. Telepathy 3:49
05. Atmosphere 4:29
06. Parachute 5:09
07. Behind a Kiss 5:00
08. Gliding 4:46
09. Nobody Knows 4:05
10. Mythological 3:44

Carol Duboc: vocals; 
Jeff Lorber: keyboards, guitar (4); 
Tim Carmon: piano (7); 
Vinnie Colaiuta: drums; 
Michael Thompson: guitars; 
Brian Bromberg: upright bass; 
Jimmy Haslip: electric bass; 
Hubert Laws: flute; 
Luis Conte: percussion.

Is there a listening market for adult contemporary music. For lack of a better categorization, that is what Carol Duboc provides on her seventh release, the all-original Smile which she co-produces with Keyboardist Jeff Lober—and produce they do.

Smile is sonically, a perfectly quaffed and lushly presented collection of ten hook-filled, expertly sculpted songs that take as much from late Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker and Sade as it does Miles Davis and fellow Kansas City-ians Charlie Parker and Count Basie. This is music for grown-ups, like that of Louise Van Aarsen-Koopman , dealing less with "You go to my head and you linger like a haunting refrain..." and more, "The story's been told / this love's mythological."

Smile sports some expert musicianship. The Yellowjackets' bassist Jimmy Haslip bubbling ripple gives these pieces their contemporary flavor while Hubert Laws provides de rigueur winds where necessary. Guitarist Michael Thompson plays his best George Benson on "Unpredictable" and "Atmosphere." Necessarily central to this recording is Duboc's exceptional voice whose balance is well-distributed throughout her range. There is no weakness in her voice; Duboc easily commands her songs (as would be expected) and proves to be a fine songwriter within this genre. Her instrument so perfectly dances with her accompaniment that it would be difficult to find a better adult contemporary offering this year. ---C. Michael Bailey, allaboutjazz.com

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