>There just isn't a feeling that's dynamic or organic like you
>could hear in even a lot of more electro-oriented boogie.. It
>sounds "programmed."

as my ear got tuned to the likes of Herbie, Dukey, and Chick when I was younger... I became more aware of how one "plays" their instruments of choice. That they had an identifiable "voice", and it didn't just extend to virtuoso performers (actually, it was with drummers that I first picked this up -- as anyone who has read anything I've said about Jeff Porcaro and/or Steve Gadd can attest).

R&B wise, you could tell it in some of my favorite producers (not surprisingly it's the keyboard-based cats like Kashif, Paul Laurence, Leon Sylvers, Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis/Monte Moir, etc) ...I liked when you could "identify" a player just by listening.

it's kind of this reason I didn't really pay attention to the music of "my" generation ('90s - '00s) that wasn't hip-hop, because I didn't get -that- feeling from those playing it. the innovation/"voice" style play was more on the hip-hop side.

with Dam, I think he might be emulating more than he might be expressing which might put some folks off, but for me, it's the whole experience, not just how he plays leads.