It's not surprising that some reviewers don't go for this as it is guaranteed to put the backs of jazzers up, but there is more to life than Jazz, and more to courtney pine too. I love this album and have played it constantly over the past couple of weeks on long, long, motorway drives which maybe explains why the album works for me. It is a bit middle-of-the-road, it is a bit soothing music, but within those genre's it's got a brain. It also has the sublime voices of Carlene Anderson and the wonderous David McAlmont, who is definitely at his best in collaboration with other musicians (like Pine and Butler). The bonus 16th track is a gem - a glorious cover of Terence Trent d'Arby's formerly naff 'Sign Your Name' which just glitters and glows.
Obviously Pine's Sax tooting is masterful, but I think it's some of the other things that make the album shine out - crisp orchestration, inventive arrangements some nifty Hammond organ to name but a few. So celebrate it as what it is and all you Jazzers hang on in there for a different album - I'm sure it will come - but remember it isn't a crime to do something different from time to time.