When
Wayman Tisdale was ten-years-old, he lay his hands for the first time on the two items which would eventually determine the dual nature of his life: a basketball and a six string guitar. Sports fans know where the first one led -- to a successful all-star career in the NBA where the 6'9"
Tisdale totaled 5,000 rebounds and played for the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. Smooth jazz enthusiasts who know nothing of his hoop life made his MoJazz albums
Power Forward and
In the Zone -- recorded during his off-seasons in 1995 and 1996 -- Top Ten hits on the Billboard chart. While those titles gave the impression of an athlete dabbling in a side career, his Atlantic debut
Decisions -- recorded as he hung up his Air Jordans after 12 years on the court -- gets down to more serious business. Playing the bass isn't just a hobby anymore. If the guest list at
Tisdale's coming out party is any indication, earning the respect of his peers can be crossed off the worry list. Keyboardist
Brian Culbertson, for one, proves a melodic soulmate, matching his high ivory tones note for note with
Tisdale's plucky, lower register melody on "Breakfast with Tiffany," a bouncy tune that shows
Tisdale's remarkable smooth jazz radio savvy. On "Ain't No Lovin',"
Tisdale takes the melodic lead with both bass and airy vocals over the subtle intertwining double keyboards of
Culbertson (simulating the Rhodes) and
Jerome Harmon (Hammond B-3).
Tisdale also takes genre stars
Gerald Albright,
Norman Brown,
Everette Harp,
Marcus Miller and
Marc Antoine downcourt for a little one on one. "The Wiz" does some stylish little double dribbling on a call and response with
Albright's sax on "Bass Man" after
Albright dances around
Brown's crisp,
Wesbound licks.
Harp's soft soprano melody blends smoothly with
Tisdale and
Antoine's laid-back acoustic on "Fell in Love," and
Antoine challenges the leader to pick up the steel string acoustic and play gingerbread man after the Frenchman's skittery nylon strings on the Latin-flavored "Mexicoco." ~ Jonathan Widran