Dear PGM, Thanks so much for additional Smooth/Funk RTs for BIAB 2022. Two sets will be most useful to me by far- Brent Mason's fantastic playing, and Mike Durham's excellent funk! Though not new, Jeff Lorber's fabulous tracks continue to support the core of my work. To follow are additional, less positive comments, but very important to me. Please know that I am enormously grateful to BIAB for giving me 'a voice' as a producer. I don't wish to come off as a grump, but I am a working pro and heavily reliant on your fine work!

GUITAR
I'm familiar with Mike Stern's name but not his playing- I find his tone a turnoff. Please record players DRY for the majority of the takes. There are many good plugin choices to craft whatever sound a producer desires. As heavy as the effect is on Stern, I wouldn't use any of them, despite how tasty the riffs behind it may be.

PGM producers have made mistakes along this line before with the super-thin sound of Michael Johnson's guitars and to a lesser extent, Dwight Sills' otherwise excellent tracks.

While recorded well/dry, I find Mark Lettieri's and Bob Lanzetti's 'funky' tracks absolutely lame.

The most popular lead tone in today's C-Jazz, is, by far, a clean, hollow body tone. Please listen to: Steve Oliver, Joyce Cooling, Norman Brown, Blake Aaron, Nick Collionne, Paul Jackson Jr, Ray Obeido, etc. This critical sound is not represented at all, except for one or two Brent Mason tracks.

BASS
Despite the excellence of Alex Al as a player, I find the tracks too busy. And, the offered 'Simple' option does nothing to calm the playing down, particularly important for song introductions. I find the same to be true of Vernon Barbary, and Freddie Washington tracks. I've often had to create all or part of bass tracks via MIDI. I'd really like to see improved RTs from these players.

Also, extremely popular in the genre is the lead, 5 and 6 string bass. It would be nice to have this available. Check out: Julian Vaughn, Brian Bromberg, Brendan Rothwell, Wayman Tisdale RIP.

KEYBOARDS
It would be great to get someone like Lorber, Bob James, David Benoit, or Brian Culbertson on Acoustic Piano. All we have is Lorber's great Rhodes.

DRUMS
I also anxiously await more RealDrums stems, specifically for the Contemporary/Smooth Jazz and Funk tracks: Michael White, Ricky Lawson, 'Third' Richardson, Sput Searight, Brian Fullen.

Thank you so much for your time and attention!

Best, Warren

Warren A. Keller- Woodwindist/Producer
Spontaneous Groovin' Combustion
Tune 9 Music- SESAC