After the initial rise of fusion in the '70s and before the codification of smooth jazz radio in the '80s, there was a period where artists like Tom Scott, Al Jarreau, and Lee Ritenour made albums that married jazz sophistication with hooky, groove-oriented funk, pop, and R&B melodies. It's that brightly organic crossover vibe that guitarist Cory Wong conjures on his infectious 2022 set Power Station. The album follows several of his previously acclaimed projects, including 2020's Grammy-nominated Meditations with keyboardist Jon Batiste and 2021's Golden Hour with saxophonist Dave Koz. As with those records, Power Station is another collaborative outing, featuring a bevy of guest artists from across the musical spectrum. The first half of the album leans heavily into a retro '80s funk aesthetic, represented best by the title track, a cheeky, good-time anthem that sounds something like Don Was' Was (Not Was) crossed with Wong's longtime associates Vulfpeck. We also get several softly fluorescent, horn-accented, R&B numbers including "J.A.M. (Just a Minute)" featuring Chromeo and "First Avenue" with Joey Dosik. From there, Wong transitions to a pop-country mode with "Every Time I Look at You" featuring Canadian singer Lindsay Ell. More twangy bluegrass numbers follow as Wong goes head to head with luminaries like Béla Fleck and Victor Wooten. He also plunges into the soulful good-time jam "Here to Stay" with veteran guitar virtuoso Larry Carlton; their lyrical back and forth evokes the hooky '70s grooves of George Benson. From beginning to end on Power Station, Wong mixes the contemporary and the throwback in the best possible ways. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

1		Power Station
2		Crisis
3		J.A.M. (Just a Minute)
4		First Avenue
5		Every Time I Look at You
6		Olympia
7		Concrete
8		Direct Flyte
9		Here to Stay
10		News to Me
11		Road Trip
12		Over the Mountain
13		Line and Lure
14		Pebbles
15		Nostalgia