For some it's the sound of Armageddon set to saxophones and overly glossed keyboard chords. For others it's the relaxing soundtrack to a lazy afternoon. Whatever your musical preference, there's no denying that the evolution of smooth jazz has had a significant impact on the landscape of not only jazz, but music as a whole. And while this three-CD box set is nowhere near a definitive map to such an expansive genre, it does cover some of the early years with contributions from Bob James, Weather Report, and George Duke. Most of this is as smooth as the genre comes, with excellent musicianship and decent tracks scattered about over the course of the three discs. However, unless you're a smooth jazz aficionado, the bulk of this box set's material can be too rich and a bit overwhelming. It's a nice box set, but nowhere near as essential as it could have been. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide