I arrived at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA to see the Mindi Abair show, only to find a very long line of people waiting to get in, which is very unusual. Mindi's popularity is rising and I shouldn't have been surprised. Her music is played often on the local jazz station. Her songs are upbeat, infectious and her live shows are incredibly energetic and fun to watch.

Mindi started her first set with the song "Play" from her first CD, “It Just Happens That Way”, followed by one of her first hits, "Salt and Lime." Mindi likes to talk about what was going on in her life when she wrote a particular song and what inspired her.   She played "Every Time," from her second CD “Come As You Are” next, and told us of writing the song while falling in love with the man who recently became her husband sorry guys.

They played a funky rendition of coronetist Nat Adderly's bluesy piece,  "Work Song."  Nat is the lesser-known brother of Cannonball Adderly.  Each of the artists played an awesome solo on this song, including Jamey Tate on drums, whose father used to be in a band with Mindi's father years ago.  Mindi said her parents and Jamey's parents are thrilled that their kids are playing together now.  Jay Gore, Andre Berry and Rodney Lee are all equally talented musicians and played very energetic solos.

Mindi just released a new CD titled “Life Less Ordinary”. She played a few songs from the CD, including the first single called "True Blue."  I think we'll be seeing this one on the Smooth Jazz charts soon. She also played "Do You Miss Me," which features Mindi's sweet, soft yet sultry singing voice. I liked this song a lot. Mindi ended the set with her first hit song, "Lucy's," written about a place on Melrose in LA that she used to play at in her early days as a fledgling sax player. I need to check this place out the next time I'm in LA, Lucy sounds like a great lady, and I hear her Margaritas are fantastic!

 

I stayed for the second set, which ordinarily would have been the same as the first set, but I guess they were in a playful mood, as they decided to forego the planned set list and mix things up, and it was quite different. They started out with " Just Happens That Way," the title track from Mindi's first CD, with an absolutely incredible bass solo by Andre Berry.  This man can play!  He IS the funk master.

They played another song from the new CD called "Ordinary Love," and then an excellent version of The Rolling Stones' song, "Miss You."  The crowd really enjoyed that one.  Mindi played one more song from the new CD called "The Joint," written about those small, dirty, smelly old bars that many musicians spend lots of time in during their early years - I definitely got the feel for "the joint" with this song.

I loved it.  I wouldn't be surprised if this song became another hit single off the CD.  It's great!  From what I heard this evening, the new CD is going to be as amazing as Mindi's first two. She played another song from the new CD, called "Bloom." Of all the new songs, this one is my favorite.

I love Mindi's tone and style.  I've been a fan of Dave Koz for years, and Mindi is the first sax player out there than I can honestly say reminds me of Dave's style of playing, especially on the alto sax. She said Dave was instrumental (no pun intended) in helping her make her first CD.  Let's all thank Dave Koz for that!  What would smooth jazz be today without Mindi's presence?