It’s been said that smooth jazz trumpeters are not very plentiful today. Rick Braun, Chris Botti and Greg Adams quickly come to mind as being among the major heavyweights. Gordon James shows here that he deserves a place in the spotlight, as well. In Joy boasts a rhythm section that holds down a mellow, smooth groove as James’ sultry trumpet and flugelhorn entices the aural sensitivities as well as the soul. I was truly hard pressed to find an unimpressive cut in the collection.