Steve Cole

In the age of the more sugary Kenny G and Dave Koz, this smooth jazz saxophonist is part of a new wave of pop musicians who have decided to return to the tougher, R&B-steeped sound of Grover Washington, Jr. and David Sanborn. And the public seems to have responded well to this approach: Cole's 1998 debut hit the charts hard and subsequent releases have done even better. Like his frequent collaborator Brian Culbertson, Cole is best when he drops the programmed beats and jams with musicians who share the more organic side of his sensibilities.