Larry Carlton : Best Of Larry Carlton-Millennium Collection

The ten cuts on Larry Carlton's entry in the 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection series are from his MCA years -- after he had left the Crusaders, entered into a solo career with Warner Bros., and become nearly a household name for his work on Steely Dan's later records. The music here begins with his acoustic work on Alone/But Never Alone and Discovery. This was a departure for Carlton, whose breezy work sounded seamless on the electric but on acoustic guitar found new resonance. A cover of 'Minute by Minute' is followed by a stellar cover of Eddie Floyd's 'Knock on Wood' from Discovery. The other albums represented here -- less stellar because of their slick lite funk - jazz approach -- are Last Nite and On Solid Ground, though the latter does feature a very acceptable cover of 'Layla.' Carlton fans have all this stuff already, and those new to his work will be best served by seeking out his Warner material (the title cut from Sleepwalk is here, however) or his work with the Crusaders. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide