Paul Taylor's tenth studio album, 2014's Tenacity, showcases more of the saxophonist's distinctive crossover jazz and instrumental R&B. The album features production by Taylor's longtime collaborator Dino Esposito, who previously worked on Taylor's first two albums, 1995's On the Horn and 1997's Pleasure Seeker. While Taylor and Esposito have known each other for most of Taylor's career, Tenacity is the first album for which Taylor worked solely with Esposito. The focused process resulted in an album of passionate, groove-oriented songs that rank with the best of Taylor's output. Also joining Taylor here are several guest keyboardists, including Jeff Lorber ("Luxe"), Jonathan Fritzen ("Supernova"), and Paul Hardcastle ("Peace of Mind"). Tenacity is a lushly produced album that will definitely appeal to Taylor's longtime fans. ~ Matt Collar