
2001
Joyce Cooling
Third Wish
Joyce Cooling (guitars, vocals)
Jay Wagner (keyboards)
Gary Calvin (bass)
Billy Johnson (drums)
David Garibaldi (drum loop)
Peter Michael Escovedo (percussion)
David Denny Credit: Tech support
“Third wish is a smooth Jazz instrumental collection of ten original songs by Joyce Cooling.” – Amazon description
“One of the most refreshing guitar voices to come out of smooth jazz in the last five years, Joyce Cooling returns with her third album, her first for a major label. Cooling's instantly recognizable scat-guitar style is used prominently throughout: as a melody line on Brazilian-flavored "Tamba"; accompanying the bridge and second verse on the heavy groove "Jelly on My Jacket"; and to enhance her solo on the title track. Al Jarreau joins in on the wordless vocal fun with Cooling on the aptly titled "Mm-mm Good." The Grammy-winning singer is the only ringer on Third Wish. The guitarist and her partner, keyboardist-producer Jay Wagner, wisely continue to record with their working band, which adds to the cohesiveness of this upbeat 10-track effort. Guest trumpeter Bill Ovitz does give the lowdown and funky "East Side" a kind of Rick Braun-Jeff Golub collaborative vibe; otherwise, Third Wish shows the kind of originality and growth for Cooling and her band that is pretty rare in the derivative smooth-jazz world." -Mark Ruffin