by Jim NewsomBen Sidran's most fully realized recording, Cool Paradise brings the sound he'd been working on since Keep It on the Cool Side five years earlier to full bloom. Utilizing the working band he'd been playing with over that period, Sidran achieves a smooth blend of traditionally structured jazz colored with contemporary textures. Bobby Malach's sax work is especially appealing, and Sidran's singing, still cool and relaxed, sounds better than ever. The compositions, most by Sidran himself, are compelling, and the sonic clarity of the recording is a pleasure to listen to. With arrangements reminiscent of Al Jarreau in his popular heyday, and a vocal style that crosses Michael Franks with Mose Allison, it's surprising that Ben Sidran hasn't become better known in pop and contemporary jazz circles.