Smooth jazz is sometimes considered a niche genre due to the fact that so many of its most watered-down artists tend to get the lion’s share of the publicity thanks to cheesy coffee shops and Hallmark Christmas movies, but the fact is that this strain of jazz is as populated with charismatic players as any other. Geno Marriott is definitely one of these players, and his new single and music video “Take the Time: Smell the Roses” is a testament to the credibility of his genre as it lay in the hands of an artist who actually knows what to do with it.
The way this single was mixed gives a level of glory to every component of a harmony, meaning that while there’s a spotlight constantly afforded to Marriott’s own performance, his backing band – and what they contribute to the collective tone of the music – is getting just as much love from the producer. Continuity is essential to enjoying this variety of jazz, and I get the feeling that it’s something this player is always concerning himself with, even more than he would some of the other compositional elements his peers would spend a lifetime trying to perfect.
Watch the video for “Take The Time: Smell The Roses” below
Marriott’s music video for “Take the Time: Smell the Roses” puts him front and center of the camera lens, but he doesn’t translate as being all too swaggering nor the least bit arrogant in his role here. If anything, his warmth and genuine personality with an instrument in his hands humanizes an otherwise sophisticated soundtrack in the backdrop, which is one of the greatest struggles that an artist of this caliber can face when developing a visualizer for a single. He makes it look quite easy here, which is telling of his abilities at the very least.
Romantic vibes and a sterling delivery from Geno Marriott make this new single and its companion video very intriguing this month, and if you haven’t already taken a look at what this artist is all about, giving “Take the Time: Smell the Roses” a close inspection will get you in on his sound. While I’ve been exceptionally picky when it comes to this style of music over the years, even the most discriminating of critics can’t get around the skill that Marriott is putting into this performance. He’s got a gift, and it’s really running away with the spotlight in “Take the Time: Smell the Roses.”
