Though by the 2010s, the terrestrial smooth jazz radio format was long on the wane and most of the festivals and cruises were headlined by previously established A-listers, a batch of promising younger talents began popping up -- a new generation of funk-filled "smoothies" who could keep the grooves and melodies hopping, with the potential to attract younger fans. Among the most dynamic of these was
Vincent Ingala, whose rise in the genre as an indie artist was probably destined from the time he was 16 and asked to open a show for genre superstar
Dave Koz. His second album, Can't Stop Now, is full of infectious melodies, irresistible pocket grooves, and a sense of self-assurance that bodes well for the multi-talented saxophonist to create his own destiny as an artist, no matter the fortunes of the format itself. One of the ways new fans can tell when a young urban jazz artist is going places is his ability to get well-established genre artists to collaborate with him. In this case, he hits the trifecta of keyboardists
Jonathan Fritzen (the elegantly soulful, midtempo duet "Kimi Trick") and
Gregg Karukas (the soulful, eloquently tropical "Groovin' U"), and saxman/superproducer
Darren Rahn, who lends his mixing expertise. Key tracks that dig deep enough to be emotional but are light enough for extensive radio play are the opening title track and the bouncy, danceable "Wish I Was There," both of which feature the extra sizzle of horn doubling on the hook. Another score for
Ingala is his unique choice of R&B cover tunes (in a genre where most artists aim for the obvious when they do this). He mines funky jamming gold from
the O'Jays' "This Time Baby" and gets gritty yet sexy on a fresh take on
the Moments' "Sexy Mama" -- both of which define an era but could use some fresh appreciation by the likes of a hot young artist like
Ingala. The title of the album says it all about the momentum he achieves with this solid set. ~ Jonathan Widran