‘Ballads’, the sixth solo recording from the Billboard chart-topping Jonathan Fritzén, finds him in the mellow yet expansive mood that his legion of fans around the world have, up until this time, experienced only briefly. That said, despite showing off a different side to his musical persona, this stunning twelve-track tour de force shimmers with the readily recognizable Fritzén vibe that has been front back and center of his discography to date. Take for example the critically acclaimed ‘Magical’ CD, from which the title cut blasted a path to #1 on every smooth jazz airplay chart on the planet, or his sensational 2015 project ‘Fritzenized’ that included outstanding performances from Gerald Albright, Paul Taylor and Nils Landgren.