Carr is joined on this project by a seasoned cast that include Grammy-nominated tenorist Donny McCaslin, bassist Tom Baldwin, drummer Frank Russo and organist John Dryden. Carr provides an exciting selection of original tunes that will have one moving the shoulders to the catchy beat. The music starts heating up right from the opening bouncy tune “Tee Time” where Carr’s appreciable licks on guitar sets the pace. Other note-worthy tracks include the soft and beautiful “Cadiz Sunset,” the very boppish “Bleecker Street,” the mesmerizing and unforgettable “Not Forgotten,” and the sizzling “Ocean Avenue Groove” for me, the best cut on the album.

While this recording clearly belongs to the guitarist, bassist Baldwin lays down some terrific bass lines throughout. An absolutely sparkling performance by Carr and his band, Turn the Page is one outstanding jazz album and highly recommended.

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Smother.net
Smooth jazz melodies undercut rich bass grooves and sexy jazz guitar glitz throughout Kenny Carr’s “Turn the Page” as a nice follow-up to his “Friday at Five” album that I previously reviewed. An album whose genius is laced entirely in gold, “Turn the Page” makes sure that you realize that a Grammy-nominated saxophonist is on tap. Thick bass grooves to give this smooth jazz album a rich texture that will have your toe tapping in no time flat.

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The Celebrity Cafe
This musical prodigy has mastered several instruments, none more thoroughly then the guitar. Kenny Carr’s sophomore album, “Turn The Page,” is a befitting example of what great blues should be. Having toured with the likes of Ray Charles, Carr began his career at an early age and as the years have gone by, his acumen only continues to grow and is encapsulated on this album. One would think a song called “Tee Time” would be a calm one but this song has a groove to it that will make listeners want to jump from their seats. “Going Home,” has Carr’s acoustic guitar work and drum play from Frank Russo that complement each other swimmingly.

“Lost Tuesday,” is the perfect name for this song, which could be in a movie where the main character is off-track and trying to find a new path. “Cadiz Sunset,” is a slow song that’s just the ticket to dance to with the one you love while picturing a dazzling horizon. “Bleecker Street,” has more drum work from Russo. The title track has the flow of literally “turning the page” and beginning anew. Kenny Carr’s “Turn The Page” is a relaxing album that is just bliss to listen to and can get you out of the darkest mood.

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Jazz USA
Kenny Carr's acoustic wizardry started at an early age and was honed playing with none other than the late, great Ray Charles. Joined by his childhood friends Donny McCaslin (sax) and John Dryden (Organ), guitarist Kenny Carr delivers an original mix of jazz harmonies, flavored ever so slightly with a dash of the blues. Turn the Page celebrates the rejoining of these three old friends as veteran musicians, with a few new ones added in the mix.

Starting at the jouncy "Tee Time" Carr gets it right all the way through this, his second CD. "Ocean Avenue Groove" has a dollup of sizzle blended in the jazz, and "Highway One" is all slow riding down hwy 101 on a hot day. "Cadiz Sunset" is caribbean beach beautiful and the saucy "Soho Strut" will have you toe-tapping and finger-snapping. Carr even pulls a bit of Bee Bop out of the hat on "Bleeker Street", a bass-driven track with some nice sax riffs by McCaslin as he trades fours with drummer Frank Russo.

This cat has chops and the music is all original. If you like contemporary, original, creative jazz then Kenny Carr is worthy of a listen.

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Midwest Record Review
KENNY CARR/Turn the Page: Guitar jazzbo sidekick of Ray Charles for 10 years shows why it's too bad the record biz doesn't know how to do it anymore. A solid set form a guy with undeniable chops, at the very least Starbucks ought to pick this set up just to show how they can break records by players that deserves the spotlight and can roll off their Ray Charles success. High octane set that opens your ears to this 'new' artist and makes you want to hear a lot more. Tasty and wining throughout.

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Herbert Sherbert/Indie Music Review
Kenny Carr played for Ray Charles for ten years that should tell you something. He plays the blues, English style fingerpicking, bossa nova, Flamenco and Montgomery double stops and octave licks. Throw in some sixties rock and stuff that comes from Miles or Mars and you have a pretty boss record.

What I’m saying is, this is a really versatile brilliant guitar player, resplendent with style and soul.

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Smooth Jazz Therapy
Guitarist Kenny Carr grew up in Santa Cruz and it was the inspiring natural beauty of that location which set the stage for his musical career. Carr found himself surrounded by talented and aspiring musicians who became his closest friends. By his early teens he was studying jazz theory with vibraphonist Rob Lautz as well as renowned trumpeter Ray Brown. By age sixteen he was performing at local venues where he met drummer Kenny Wollesen and bassist Anders Swanson, as well as 2004 Grammy nominated saxophonist Donny McCaslin. In 1981, Kenny and his fellow Santa Cruz musicians were invited to open up for Carmen McCrea and Freddie Hubbard at the Mount Tamalpais jazz festival. After high school, Kenny attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and during his final year in 1986, he received the call to audition for Ray Charles. He toured worldwide with Charles as his guitarist for over ten years. His 2005 debut, 'Friday At Five', featured many of the musicians from his time in Santa Cruz. It was a quality collection of music that fell somewhere between smooth jazz and adult contemporary. Now he is back with his follow up CD 'Turn the Page'.

Although tenor sax man Donny McCaslin remains in the lineup, much of the music that Carr has written for 'Turn the Page' highlights the acoustic bass which comes courtesy of Tom Baldwin. It's a vital foundation of many of the melodies and inherently gives the collection a more straight ahead feel than was evident on 'Friday At Five'. Certainly with tracks such as 'Bleeker Street', 'Hidden Agenda' and on almost everything where the sax of McCaslin is heard, the direction of the music is decidedly straight ahead. This is well exemplified on 'Soho Strut' where McCaslin on sax and John Dryden on organ set the tone for what evolves into a seven plus minute marathon of smoky bar room jazz. That said 'Turn the Page' is far from being an album of straight ahead tunes. This is a collection all about light and shade where, most often, the acoustic bass provides a delicious foil to Carr's contemporary playing. The upbeat and edgy 'Tee Time' finds Carr providing both guitars and keyboards. It contrasts beautifully with the mellow 'Going Home' which, taking the theme of the title, feels like a stroll home in the sunshine. For the title track Carr switches things around and gets earthier. His guitar exudes the blues, the organ of Dryden generates a retro vibe and the combination is underpinned by a super solid beat.

'Ocean Avenue Groove' is spicily Latin in a bluesy sort of way but Carr is always at his best when using the trio format to play out mellow contemporary jazz guitar melodies. 'Highway One' is gentle but never dull, a perfect tune to unwind to while even better is 'Not Forgotten'. Here, from laid back beginnings, Carr cuts loose to get a Peter White thing going before falling back to the haunting melody that is the foundation of the entire track. Smooth Jazz Therapy top picks include the simple, deconstructed 'Cadiz Sunset' and the lusciously mellow 'Remember When' with which Carr takes a sublimely bluesy turn. Best of all is 'Lost Tuesday'. With its rippling melody and tight groove this is an excellent example of sophisticated smooth jazz.

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Kenny Carr's jazz-voice appears full of liveliness, rich in jazz tendencies soaked in smooth jazz. For Turn the Page, Carr has chosen saxophonist Donny McCaslin, bassist Tom Baldwin, drummer Frank Russo and organist John Dryden. The band scrutinizes through twelve Carr themes.

Turn the Page landscapes gently between many sound textures. They break it down on "Tee Time" and "Going House" where Kenny Carr and John Dryden deploy a great playing versatility. On "Bleecker Street" and "Ocean Avenue Groove" there is a boosting dialogue between strings and drums with joyful interplay and technically dexterous delineation. The melody is acutely showcased on "Lost Tuesday" in which the phrases run smoothly.

Drums and bass interaction is very noticeable. On "Soho Strut" saxophonist Donny McCaslin hints, murmurs, pops, and whispers his essential reed-attacks.

Kenny Carr's input is full of block chords and melodic changes. Turn the Page is played in a flexible fashion which demonstrates the quintet's great interplay.

Turn the Page is a soulful jazzy creation to check out.

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LOOKING FOR A contemporary pop-jazz guitarist who covers the waterfront? Kenny Carr is your man. Evoking shades of George Benson, Earl Klugh and Larry Carlton, Carr accomplishes that and more in two performances, "Tee Time" and "Going Home," the opening tracks on his sophomore CD, "Turn the Page."

Heeding the album's title isn't bad advice, either. Carr, a Ray Charles band alum, and saxophonist Donny McCaslin, blowing tenor, make for a particularly potent combination when they have bop impetus and a soul-jazz groove working for them, as on "Bleecker Street," a cut that also showcases the nimble pairing of bassist Tom Baldwin and drummer Frank Russo.

The combos vary in size, from trios to quintets, but the compositions, written and arranged by Carr, are consistently well-crafted. There's no mistaking the radio-readiness of the album's title track and other cuts, but Carr's affinity for the blues, as evidenced on the moody ballad "Remember When" and the organ-laced, after-hours jaunt "Soho Strut," often shines through the performances and helps set them apart. Even Carr's turns on acoustic guitar are shaded with blues tints, particularly the closing ballad "Hidden Agenda," which packs some rhythmic twists before bringing the session to a shimmering close.

— Mike Joyce