This is the album that could singlehandedly put the flute back on the front lines of contemporary jazz. In this sax-heavy genre it's hard to believe that those of us who cut our teeth on contemporary and fusion in the 70's often came into the door with a flutist. Herbie Mann's albums bridged the space toward jazz for a lot of rock fans, Tim Weisberg was a jazz-rock pioneer who recorded a duo album with Dan Fogelberg, Jeremy Steig came even closer to the rock side (and was later sampled by the Beastie Boys), Hubert Laws played on a lot of the jazzier pop albums which led liner note readers (that was most of us back then) to explore his work. This was also a point of entry for women, Bobbi Humphrey and Sherry Winston among them, who took big steps into the boys' club known as recorded jazz with flute recordings. Then the flute faded into the background. The radio gods said it didn't “test well” and from the mid 90's on the flute faded into oblivion.

So here comes Althea Rene, who has built a following over the last decade with a series of releases that did not get the publicity and airplay love they deserved. She has built a fan base by sheer persistence, consistently releasing new material and performing a lot. This body of work left no doubt that she is a skilled musician and songwriter who knows her instrument and her audience but only occasionally did we get a glimpse of what she could do if she really cut loose. In The Flow remedies that. She is playing more powerfully than ever and exploreing a lot more of the sonic range of her instrument - not just the range but sounds that are percussive and rhythmic too. It's another case of a musician bringing the live sound into their studio work and the result is, as always, a joy to hear.

The opening notes reveal this is an album that is going to break a lot of rules. “La Solstice” is a mystical excursion into a middle eastern setting fueled by firey fast notes, and driving rhythms. She leaves you breathless as she plays with power, speed and precision over a bed of supercharged percussion and guitar textures. “FM1960” whether the title states the intention or not, does recall some of those flute driven originals from back in the day and leads into the funk-fest “Snoochi Pooch” featuring tuff horn jams from Cindy Bradley and Dan Cipriano. Usually the “single” chosen for radio play is a riffy soundscape but the title track here has momentum, groove, and a good dose of energy as well as a deliciously aggressive alto sax solo from label-mate Randy Scott. Some songs are so strong melodically that they are begging for a cover that has the same energy with an instrument doing the singing. John Legend's “Used to Love You” is one of those and she has served it up right, staying true to the background hook and jamming her heart out on the melody. It doesn't let up either as the vibrant “Flutation” follows. The head boppin' booty shakin' energy does let up a few times to give the music and the listener some space to chill. “Sunday Cruise” has a gentle sway to it, her cover of Deniece Williams' “Free” is a lyrical tribute, and the album wraps with “Song for Wilhelmina,” a gentle ballad that is simply lovely.

I can't say enough about Michael Broening's work as a producer, songwriter, and programmer here. He wrote or shared writing credits with Rene on all the original songs, giving her the kind of melodies that stick in the listeners head and showcase her artistry. Although the foundations of the production are based on his programming the album does not have that programmed sound that can be so high gloss that it polishes out the emotional sensibility. His production enhances and showcases a killer group of live players that include Freddie Fox, Randy Scott, Cindy Bradley, Michael White and Mel Brown. Releasing this on the day after Memorial Day – the gateway to summer - was a great idea too because the album has a summer vibe that will have you dancing on the patio or on the beach or heading for an outdoor concert where she is on stage and I can hear the crowd shouting “Go girl! Go girl! Go girl!!!”