Album of the Day

Herbie Mann was one of the greatest flutists in jazz history, with a long string of successful albums for Atlantic Records. His 1979 release for the label, SUNBELT, features relaxing pop-jazz totally in keeping with the carefree beach cover art, with Brazilian influences that underline Mann's status as an early adopter of world music. Mann was also known as a popularizer, and while the 7 tracks here include versions of R&B hits “The Closer I Get to You” and “Let's Stay Together,” his groove-centered performances (and that of his band, which includes such ace instrumentalists as keyboardist Richard Tee and drummer Steve Gadd) are as nuanced as they are beautiful. Herbie Mann was born on this day in 1930, and we'll let SUNBELT shine in his honor.