by Stewart MasonThough he occasionally branches out into other styles, Chuck Loeb is at heart, a pop-oriented smooth jazz guitarist. Presence finds Loeb smack in the middle of his comfort zone. Llevame adds some Latin percussion and murmured female vocals, The Western Sky incorporates a vaguely new age synth wash, and The Music Outside flirts a bit with quiet storm R&B, but at heart, this is utterly straightforward smooth jazz with Loeb's laid-back, tasty soloing front and center. Even the pair of pop covers, Steely Dan's Rikki Don't Lose That Number and James Taylor's Shed a Little Light, are transformed into showcases for Loeb's inimitable style. Unapologetically mellow and buffed to a high-sheen gloss, Presence is smooth jazz for folks who think they just don't make smooth jazz records like this anymore.