Just when you thought that poker was everywhere, on your television, on the radio and, of course, on your PC, you can now get poker on your stereo. And the man to bring it to you: a funk/smooth jazz artist named Joe McBride. The cover of Texas Hold'em, McBride's latest album, shows him holding a card in each hand, and flanked by a gang of bare-bellied ladies sporting cowboy hats and daisy dukes. Very 'Texas hold'em' indeed.

The Texas hold'em theme doesn't just carry over to the title and cover; the majority of song titles bear some sort of card-playing reference. From the title song to others entitled “No Limit," “River," “Double Down" and “One Eyed Jack," the card metaphors abound.

Personally, when I think of Texas hold'em (the game, not the album), smooth jazz is just about the last musical genre that springs to mind. I suppose, however, that everyone has equal right to cash in on the Texas hold'em craze, even musicians who opt for a lot of soprano saxophones and electronic keyboards. I guess we'll have to wait and see if this is the next big thing to show up on the pros' iPods.

Source:  Poker777 Staff

Monday, 12 December 2005