In the happy pill world called smooth jazz, the happiest pill of them all for the past two decades has arguably been delivered by the Rippingtons, the West Coast group with the breezy Pacific vibe and bright pop sheen.
From the late ’80s well into the ’90s the band was a smooth jazz hit machine, turning out chart-topper after chart-topper and influencing a generation of players with their sleek grooves, peppy melodies and an emphatic — make that unapologetically loud — attack.
Last night, their opening set of a three-night stand at Scullers was both a sprint through the past and nod to a future that promised just what their recently released 20th anniversary CD did: more of the happy same.
Which was just fine with the swaying, clapping audience members, who were as effusive in their cheers for new material as they were for older faves like ‘‘Moonlighting,’’ ‘‘Black Diamond’’ and ‘‘Curves Ahead.’’
Thickened funk and Latin rhythms coursed through many of the uptempo tunes, with leader Russ Freeman’s guitar providing the set’s riskiest, sharpest-edged improvising.
But edgy is relative in the Rippingtons’ smooth jazz world. Electric bassist Kim Stone stretched on a few solos, but not too far, and percussionist Scott Breadman kept the grooves flowing on his array of instruments with a showman’s aplomb — but not too many different grooves.
Guest reedman Eric Marienthal, a long-ago Rippington who became a smooth jazz solo star, soared in unison with guitar and keyboards on fast numbers, floated caressingly on ballads like ‘‘Take Me With You,’’ and generally hugged the melodies with his alto sax at every turn.
His sanded-down instrumental take on Les McCanns and Eddie Harris driving ‘‘Compared to What,’’ although painful to hear for at least this fan of the original, fit in perfectly with the band’s set of buoyant brightness.
At 20, the Rippingtons still break out the sun night after night.
bostonherald.com
Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music
No comments:
Post a Comment