Collaboration frenzy

It seems every new CD today has to boast of a stellar list of cameos and guest turns by other artists, and no CD marketing and promotional strategy can stand solely on the merits of the recording artist alone. This certainly is the case with the new albums of Randy Jackson and Sergio Mendes. With Janet Jackson’s new CD, it’s a bevy of heavyweight producers that all take their turn at the mixing console, helping Janet redefine her sound for today’s audience. End of the day, as long as the CD stands up to the litmus test of listening to the music, I’m fine with the marketing hoopla.

Discipline — Janet Jackson (Island/MCA Universal).  For Janet’s new album, the buzzwords are sexual longing, producer-mania and Top 40 material. It seems no stone has been left unturned in making the CD Janet’s stamp of relevance in today’s music market. With boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, Rodney Jerkins, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart and The Dream all lending their hands to the production chores, Janet has come up with tracks that basically fall into two categories — dance and slow burn. There are 22 tracks listed but a number of them are mood snippets, fillers that have Janet either whispering sweet nothings or engaging in intimate conversation with a computer named Kyoko. Feedback, Rock with U, Luv and 2nite will be dance hits, while I especially liked Curtains among her slow-burn tracks. On her song with Missy Elliot, The 1, they share wisecracks about male genitalia. One can’t fault the energy found here.

Randy Jackson’s Music Club, Volume 1 — Randy Jackson (Concord/MCA Universal). Better known today to American Idol (AI) audiences as Mr. Pitchy and “Check It out,” Randy is also an accomplished bass player and producer and this is his new CD, one that promises something for everyone. There’s a version of Home, given a Southern country feel courtesy of John Rich and soul crooner Anthony Hamilton, there’s an R&B duet by Katherine Macphee and Elliot Yamin (so we now know who he really felt had a great set of pipes from last year’s AI season), and appearances by Joss Stone, Jason Mraz, John MacLaughlin, Paula Abdul, Travis Tritt, Richie Samborra. Yup, I was just waiting for the kitchen sink’s cameo. More interesting are the contributions by lesser known artists like Kelli Love and Barbi Esco. A tad bit all over the place for my taste, but if you’re an AI fan, you’ll be checking out the CD.

Morning in Rio — Sergio Mendes (MCA Universal).  With Black-Eyed Pea will.i.am back in the producer’s chair, Sergio comes up with a Part II that actually has more consistency as a CD than last year’s surprise hit CD. His updating of the material we knew back in the early ’70s shows Sergio can certainly stand the test of time. My favorite tracks here are Fergie’s The Look of Love and the hip-hop/Brazilian rhythms groove of Italian Jovanotti and France’s Zap Mama. If there is one track I found a bit tepid, it would be will’s version of Agua de Beber. Knowing that tradition and heritage are still signposts of great music, Sergio enlists Herb Alpert, Lani Hall and Mrs. Mendes — Gracinha Leporace on a couple of the tracks. Natalie Cole, Juanes, Ledisi are just some of the music luminaries who also contribute to the CD. There’s a wealth of music in these tracks, and what’s amazing is how fresh they still sound.