Contemporary jazz guitarist Chris Standring marks his silver anniversary with a chill bouquet for “Lovers”
“The Lovers Remix Collection” arrives Friday, which was prefaced by the hypnotic single “Liquid Soul.”
Eleven-time Billboard chart topping guitarist Chris Standring wanted to do something special to commemorate his 25th anniversary as a solo recording artist. While his contemporary jazz-based catalogue is comprised of a variety of tones, tempos and textures - from instrumental pop and improvisational jazz to soul powered funk and romantic ballads - the requests that he receives most from fans conveys their ardent affection for his chill grooves, seeding the concept for “The Lovers Remix Collection.” On the set arriving on Friday (June 9) from Ultimate Vibe Recordings, Standring revisits ten songs from his original songbook along with one new track, a bluesy, country twang meets electronic jazz version of Peter Green’s “Albatross,” a personal favorite from when he was growing up in England.
Standring plays electric or nylon string guitar on the collection, exhibiting alacritous dexterity, impassioned precision and virtuoso technique while reimagining some of his most popular tunes, putting a completely different spin on lesser-known numbers, and applying fresh varnish to the mix on a few selections that, with time and distance from when they were originally recorded, “deserved a different take.” Known for imbuing a retro 1970s nuance to his recordings, “The Lovers Remix Collection” sounds futuristic and state of the art, has a mesmerizing vibey feel and a chill jazz ambiance. And yes, the project definitely has a visceral sensual allure.
“When I conceived this project, I wanted it to be the ultimate make out music for a romantic occasion. But don't let me put ideas in your head. I just make the music,” laughed the Los Angeles-based Standring who remixed the album entirely on his own.
Ahead of the album’s street date, radio was recently serviced the single “Liquid Soul,” a pensive exploration inward that originally appeared on Standring’s 2008 “Love & Paragraphs” album.
“This is probably my most popular song from my entire career and was never a single. I played all the instruments on the original version. This song has a very hypnotic, dreamy quality that people have responded to. I do like to take people on a journey through music and this song is a good example of that,” said Standring who will be playing shows in support of the new record in major cities, including Los Angeles, Washington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Lexington, Nashville, Denver and Oakland.
Another one of Standring’s most requested songs is “Kaleidoscope,” which he composed with Rodney Lee in 2006 for the “Soul Express” album. It takes on an entirely new dimension on “The Lovers Remix Collection.”
“I wanted to take people on a journey with this remix along the lines of Quincy Jones' ‘Secret Garden.’ This song is so simple but has a melody that sticks with you,” said Standring.
One of the qualities inherent in a remix project is second chances: an opportunity to get a redo. That’s how Standring describes the new version of “Moon Child.”
“I got the most email about this song from people who heard it on the ‘Sunlight’ album. I always felt it didn't quite get the production love it deserved on the original, so I decided to remix it. It became the first song to inspire the whole ‘Lovers Remix’ album concept,” Standring reflects.
Ruminating and meditative, “Contemplation” originally appeared on the 2010 “Blue Bolero” album. Now refreshed, the updated version exudes different qualities.
Standring explains, “I am a huge lover of space in music, and I think this song is a great example of that in my songwriting style. I'm also fond of harmonic surprises in a song that might seem different from other composers in this genre. This is one of those dreamy sequences that can take the listener through a range of emotions - from sadness and hope to evoking mystery and finally, beauty and resolution.”
Culled from his tenth album, the aptly titled “Ten,” Standring says that “Another Train” might be his favorite tune on the new album. It showcases his lyrically expressive fretwork on a nylon acoustic guitar.
“It has a very melancholic sound that is snuggly, cozy and warm. It's a very romantic song with a lot of space between each musical phrase letting the music breathe nicely. I think the melody evokes such loneliness, which is strange as I'm not a lonely person. However, and perhaps this new collection confirms it, but I may be an old romantic,” admits Standring.
The new album from the old romantic, “The Lovers Remix Collection,” consists of the following songs:
“Sensual Overload”
“Liquid Soul”
“Kaleidoscope”
“Albatross”
“Moon Child”
“Contemplation”
“Yesterday’s Heaven”
“Another Train”
“Heart Of The Matter”
“Gentle Persuasion”
“Reflection”
For more information, please visit https://www.chrisstandring.com.
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