by Matt CollarDue largely to the inclusion of trumpeter Ron Haynes -- a one-time Donald Byrd protégé -- the fourth entry by Ramsey Lewis' smooth jazz supergroup is reminiscent of Byrd's seminal 1970s recordings. While merely hinting at Byrd's proto-disco inventions, Urban Knights IV is nonetheless a modern update of the trumpeter's work with the Blackbyrds. Although this album is nowhere near as funky as, say, Electric Byrd, it does come off grittier than many albums by Urban Knights' contemporaries. There are real drums as well as programmed percussion, but the overall effect is one of relevant experimentation. There seems to … » Read more