In Hi-Fi Stereo is meant to evoke a more hard-edged, soulful, funk-spiced sound favored by Abair influences such as Cannonball Adderley and David Sanborn. There’s less smoothed over, soft focus production, and more tight band work instead of a preponderance of programmed rhythm tracks.

Mindi Abair’s newest CD In Hi-Fi Stero, is both a step forward and a step back. On her last release, Stars, Abair sought stardom as a pop music singer who just happened to also play saxophone. The songs were good, and the vocals as well. When Abair cut loose on a sax instrumental, it generally brought the proceedings up a couple of energy notches. While the album was good, it seems probable that Abair’s many fans were eager to hear her emphasize her trademark alto sax work a little more than her vocals. Though Abair has done some singing on each of her albums, Stars emphasized the vocals on an equal footing with her instrumental work.

In Hi-Fi Stereo puts the emphasis strongly back on Abair’s alto work and while there are vocal numbers, they mostly feature other singers. In Hi-Fi Stereo is meant to evoke a more hard-edged, soulful, funk-spiced sound favored by Abair influences such as Cannonball Adderley and David Sanborn. There’s less smoothed over, soft focus production, and more tight band work instead of a preponderance of programmed rhythm tracks. That’s not to say that there’s no gloss to the production here, but it allows Abair’s sax, which is by no means wimpy, to strut out front and set the tone. The difference may be attributable to the absence of Abair’s longtime collaborator and producer Matt Hagar. While Hagar provided Abair with a sound that was not wholly constrained by the smooth jazz template, the backup lacked the punch that keyboardist and new producer Rex Rideout brings to the proceedings. One always sensed that Abair was a ballsier player than some of her recordings let on; In Hi-Fi Stereo proves that it is so.

Mindi Abair is truly at her best when she’s playing a soulful, gospel/blues groove. The final track on Stars, “It’s Gonna Be Alright” demonstrated that, and it’s never left my MP3 player since the album was released. There’s a lot more where that came from on this new album. One senses that from her last Verve recording, Life Less Ordinary, Abair has made records she wanted to make, and In Hi-Fi Stereo sounds like possibly the most personal project she’s done yet. From the opening groove of “Any Way You Wanna” through “All Star” with its full horn section, “L’Espirit Nouveau,” a slinky little number, and the rockin’ “Girls’ Night Out” Abair lets the grooves fly convincingly.

There are several vocal numbers here, but most feature guest vocalists rather than Abair. She does backup vocals and takes the lead on the inspirational “Let the Whole World Know (Sing Your Song)”, but she leaves the heavy duty singing to her guests. Co-writer Ryan Collins sings the gospel-tinged “Get Right” while Abair’s sax punctuates the lyrics. David Ryan Harris sings his own “Be Beautiful”, while Lalah Hathaway does “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” while Abair’s sax weaves around her, an equal voice, really, making this more like a duet.

Abair concludes with a one-two punch. “Take Me Home” features one of the album’s fiercest grooves, and Mindi’s sax work puts her in a category well above the average smooth player. The final track, “The Alley” is a slow R&B number that features Abair’s soulful alto sound and even has her father, Lance, contributing some B3 work.

Having found what seems like the perfect home on the Heads Up label (which also currently has funky Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer on its roster—collaboration, anyone?) Mindi Abair has made the best recording of her career thus far. The only issue one might have with In Hi-Fi Stereo is that it’s too brief, and we’ll have to wait too long to see what Mindi Abair will do next.