Well, here we are again, ladies, back in that love-soaked, dimly lit room of candles. Just you and that special love of yours, listening to the sound of one of the true masters of the romantic night, the man to whom the sensuous urban jazz vibe belongs, saxophonist Kim Waters. Here again is the saxman with more love in the form of his latest release, Love Stories (what else??).  Full of irresistible longing and want, full of spirit and soul, not to mention the sweetest of sweet melodies and hooks, Waters puts his sax to the test again to see if he can once more coax a meltdown of hearts in the universe of romance. I’m sure he’ll find that he can.  When he’s not teaming up with other great saxmen (as with The Sax Pack) or producing some quality remakes of hip hop/R&B tunes (as with his Streetwize series), Waters is always primed to belt out the solo gem.  Love Stories is such a gem.

This collection of covered and original ballads, as well as a marvelous nod to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with his version of MJ’s “This Is It,” is classic Waters. Never wavering from his mantra and self-portrait, he strolls through such pieces as the coolly-timed “Song of Passion,” along with the tunes you’d expect from this accomplished and prolific artist who wears smooth jazz so very well.

Waters teams with crooner Kenny Lattimore to craft a beautiful piece called “One More…,” pretty much guaranteed to shift all conversations to the only one that matters: Love. It’s a heavy testament to what it takes to keep the flame aglow. Listen.

Now, while we praise Waters' prowess with the tender love track, let’s not dismiss his ability to get the party started with a nice mid- to up-tempo tune with equally as much charm. “Reaching Out” and “Hangin’ Out” are great examples.  He is certainly no stranger to balance.
 
After something to fine-tune your dancing shoes, a return to another love story occurs. The hauntingly beautiful rendition of Rose Royce’s classic tear-jerker, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore,” couldn’t be in better hands than those of Waters.

Nothing short of sparkling, the talents of Kim Waters remain as sharp as ever, and he seems to always stay committed to his craft and the finer nuances of it. In my opinion, that’s all it truly ever takes. -- Ronald Jackson