Year: 2008
Record Label: Ryko/Warner Brothers
Style: Smooth Jazz
Musicians: Lin Rountree (trumpet), Perry Hughes (guitar), Bamm Davis (piano), Billy Meadows (keyboards/producer), Dana Davis (producer), Roberto Valley (bass), Amp Fiddler, Valencia (vocals)
Review: Trumpeter Lin Rountree recently revealed in a Jazzreview.com feature article that the kids in his high school class often called him “a sax man” and by the way, he moves his trumpet’s notes, you would swear that he is a skilled saxophone player. But Rountree’s instrument of choice is the trumpet and/or flugelhorn and he plays them with the gracefulness of Tim Cunningham, the cruising smooth dynamics of Jack Prybylski and the sultry R&B piping associated with Kirk Whalum, all of whom are saxophone players. Rountree’s playing has been compared to acclaimed trumpeters like Chris Botti and Kenny G., but once you hear Rountree play, you’ll never confuse him for someone else. Produced by Billy Meadows and Dana Davis, Sumthin’ Good delivers on its promise to offer audiences something that is very good.
Rountree starts off with a conventional regiment of smooth jazz instrumentals and coasting light funk shags garnering the title track and then the romantically stirred “Let It Ride.” The chamois texture of Rountree’s notes produce a smooth waxed finish as the laid-back rhythms set the tone of the musical dialogue. Rountree’s language is peace and his vocabulary makes melodic rhymes that people of all nations understand. The communicative exchange between Perry Hughes guitar riffs and Rountree’s trumpet are intriguing through “Chillin’ On” and the blissful motions of “Groovalicous” are perfectly stabilized by the slow steady beats producing a wondrous soundscape. “She’s Just A Woman” gives Rountree a chance to branch out into reggae-striped tones, which bodes beautifully with his R&B/soul breezes. The tune treads on the cusp of experimenting with specimens that skirt smooth jazz attributes and Rountree does a wonderful job incorporating these ideas into smooth jazz.
Rountree’s plumb notes produce a riverbed of cruising tunes like “Seldom Sunday” and “All The Way.” These are numbers that calm the senses while synchronizing a peaceful pace. The breezy ripples of the trumpet phrasings penetrate the skin’s surface like a deep-tissue massage that loosens any tight knots and opens clogged passages. Rountree’s music seems to work this way, making tension evaporate and peace consumes the listener. Songs like “Akire’ II” and “You Will Always” have silky gorges that are warmly tempered by the light simmering bass lines. Rountree also employed vocalists to enrich the smooth jazz templates with Amp Fiddler featured on “Kiss On Ya Soul” and Valencia on “Get Away.” Rountree proves that his type of smooth jazz has the kind of mechanisms that R&B vocals know how to work.
Sumthin’ Good is Lin Rountree’s second offering proceeding his debut album Groovetree. Rountree has received international acclaim for his music and performances and has been dubbed a member of the “new generation” of smooth jazz artists. He has shared the stage with notable performers like Tim Bowman, George Benson, Peter White and many others. Sumthin’ Good speaks the international language of peace and let’s people remember how wondrous that feels.
Tracks: Sumthin’ Good, Let It Ride, Chillin’ On, Groovalicious, She’s Just A Woman, Seldom Sunday, All The Way, Akire’ II, Feet On The Ground, There He Goes, Kiss On Ya Soul, You Will Always, Get Away
Artist's Website: http://www.linrountree.com
Listen or Buy: www.amazon.com/Sumthin-Good/dp/B0018DP242/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1
Reviewed by:
Susan Frances
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