Russ Freeman probably had no clue that he was starting a revolution when he put together a new band called
the Rippingtons in 1986, but the advent of smooth jazz can be directly traced to the release of that band's debut
Moonlighting album the following year. Some jazz purists may never forgive him for that, but
Freeman and the group, having weathered numerous personnel changes, still reign within the genre and have every reason to celebrate. Hence this
20th Anniversary CD/DVD package, which finds
Freeman, the guitarist/keyboardist who has been the sole mainstay throughout the decades, calling on a virtual army of past and present members to assist him in creating a fitting monument to his accomplishments. The legions who've followed
the Rippingtons will know what to expect here: impeccably performed, perfectly enjoyable, occasionally stimulating pop-jazz without an out-of-place atonal squawk or honk in sight. What makes
20th Anniversary a standout is the parade of guests, among them most of the
Moonlighting crew (except, thankfully, for
Kenny G.) -- pianist
David Benoit, drummer
Tony Morales, saxophonist
Brandon Fields, and percussionist
Steve Reid -- and visiting saxophonists
Dave Koz and
Kirk Whalum, both of whom bring their distinctive wails to
Freeman's compositions. Although the album is largely instrumental, a few vocalists, including
Patti Austin and
Jeffrey Osborne, take turns, and
Brian McKnight has virtually all of the track "Anything" to himself, save for
Freeman's classical guitar. It is, in the end,
Freeman's guitar work that remains the main draw, though: technically proficient, he always manages to bring an emotionalism, albeit sometimes muted, to the proceedings, even if he sometimes seems as if he's aching to break out and try something truly daring and never quite does. One oddball moment: track 11, simply titled "A 20th Anniversary Bonus," suddenly and inexplicably morphs into
the Spinners' '70s R&B hit "I'll Be Around," sung by
Osborne, before the CD closes out. A separate retrospective DVD accompanies the audio disc. ~ Jeff Tamarkin