Bob Mamet showed considerable promise on his debut album, Signs of Life, which could easily be described as "pop-jazz with a brain." This 1994 release is hardly the work of a jazz purist or a bop snob; the pianist/keyboardist combines jazz with elements of pop, rock, and RB, and he has been heavily influenced by the electric work of Chick Corea, the Yellowjackets, and Joe Sample. But at the same time, anyone who claims that Signs of Life is merely instrumental pop doesn't give Mamet enough credit -- the pop elements are strong, but so are the jazz elements. Mamet brings an improviser's mentality to the table, and he enjoys a real dialogue with well-known guests like guitarist Larry Carlton, saxman Sam Riney, and Yellowjackets members Jimmy Haslip (bass) and William Kennedy (drums). Another guest is saxman Richard Elliot, and here's the ironic part: Elliot's playing is a lot more substantial and meaty on Signs of Life than it is on his own albums. Elliot has recorded more than his share of brainless elevator Muzak, but he sounds pretty good on Mamet's debut. Meanwhile, Mamet detours into straight-ahead jazz on Miles Davis' Nardis, which finds him forming a traditional piano trio with Haslip and Kennedy. But most of the time, he favors a pop-jazz approach on Signs of Life, which is definitely his strongest and most consistent album. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi

1		Three Sides
2		Nautical Mile
3		Illinois Road
4		Signs of Life
5		River Side Anthem
6		On Track
7		Nardis
8		South for the Winter
9		Walking Out