Not sure when it happened, but easy listening yacht rock vibes are officially back on the menu. Featuring songs sourced from a 1975-1977 run of releases by French fusion group Cortex (L’Enfant Samba, Vol 2, and Troupeau Bleu), Bleu, Vol. 2 is a new collection of smooth jazz covers by The Breathing Room. Recorded live at Santo Recording in Oakland, the all-instrumental suite suits the band perfectly, as they have a similar lineup to Cortex’s original studio members. Shimmering cymbals, groovy entrancing keyboards, tight Brasilian-inspired basslines, sashimi-grade guitar solos, and that big bold sax front and center take you on a psychedelic journey across the high seas of your mind. It’s definitely a trip, and one the easy listener will have no trouble taking again and again.
