The Rippingtons

Norwegian smooth jazz composer Tom Hansen has produced a vocal album dedicated to Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau, Chicago, Michael McDonald and others. This is my 6th work, and it was my first appearance in Japan from [Light Mellow Searches] supervised by me. Contains 19 songs, which is rare these days. You can listen to the finest AOR ~ Blue Eyed Soul ~ Fusion until you're full.

The Benoit Freeman Project 2 is an collaboration album by American pianist David Benoit and American Guitarist Russ Freeman released in 2004, and recorded for the Peak label. The album reached #7 on Billboard's Jazz chart. Russ Freeman also serves as leader and frontman for the Rippingtons.

Since the Rippingtons do Russ Freeman's bidding, he hasn't found it necessary to do a full-fledged, regular solo album since he founded the group in 1986. (There have been duo albums with David Benoit and Craig Chaquico as well as a solo holiday record, however.) But listeners "started encouraging me to 'step out' more and to play more guitar," he writes in the liner notes to Drive, and "hence, this album," his first such release since 1985's Nocturnal Playground. That statement is the key to what distinguishes the disc from a Rippingtons album. Although Freeman has called upon a few guest musicians, with Chris Botti contributing muted trumpet work to "Soul Dance," Jeff Lorber keyboards to "Brighter Day," and Eric Marienthal sax to "Anywhere Near You," the tracks are designed as showcases for Freeman's guitar playing, not otherwise leaving room for other soloists.

GRP Records (Grusin-Rosen Productions) is a jazz record label founded by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen in 1978. Distributed by Verve Records, GRP® was originally known for its digital recordings that focuses on its jazz genre. In 1992, the label celebrated its 10th anniversary after being formed in 1982 in spectacular fashion as Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen assembled nearly every artist with the exception of singers Diane Schuur and Patti Austin to record the album GRP All-Star Big Band, which was recorded in January 1992 and featured prominent jazz artists such as Lee Ritenour, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, Tom Scott, Gary Burton, Dave Weckl, Nelson Rangell, among others. The label not only released a CD with bonus tracks, but also they recorded the event which was available on both VHS and LaserDisc.

GRP Records (Grusin-Rosen Productions) is a jazz record label founded by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen in 1978. Distributed by Verve Records, GRP® was originally known for its digital recordings that focuses on its jazz genre. In 1992, the label celebrated its 10th anniversary after being formed in 1982 in spectacular fashion as Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen assembled nearly every artist with the exception of singers Diane Schuur and Patti Austin to record the album GRP All-Star Big Band, which was recorded in January 1992 and featured prominent jazz artists such as Lee Ritenour, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, Tom Scott, Gary Burton, Dave Weckl, Nelson Rangell, among others. The label not only released a CD with bonus tracks, but also they recorded the event which was available on both VHS and LaserDisc.

On this CD, Russ Freeman, the popular multi-instrumentalist leader of the Rippingtons, performs 11 Christmas songs and his originals "Faith" and "Holiday." Freeman, who plays keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, percussion, and even mandolin on the date, leads a variety of musicians through funky jams and also takes a few of the more reverent interpretations by himself. With guest appearances from saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa, keyboardist Bob James, and a hot horn section (most notably on a salsafied version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"), Freeman clearly enjoyed this "holiday" from the Rippingtons. The overall results are lightweight, funky, melodic and reasonably pleasing as superior background music. Other highlights include "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "My Favorite Things," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Something of a smooth jazz oriented answer to the label's 2003 straight-ahead compilation Jazz After Dark, this highly engaging two-disc set features oft-played radio hits that have helped define the genre's generally easy grooves and colorful melodies. For diehard fans, smooth jazz has always been as about much about lifestyle as music, and these tracks will no doubt remind them just why they became devotees. All the early classics (circa mid-'70s to mid-'80s) are here, from Kenny G.'s "Songbird" and Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance" to George Benson's "Breezin'" and Grover Washington, Jr.'s "Just the Two of Us." These are supplemented by later hits like Boney James & Rick Braun's "Grazin' in the Grass" and Dave Koz's "You Make Me Smile." But it's not simply an objective survey of smoothness at its best. The collection also seems designed to promote artists in the Concord Jazz stable – David Benoit and Russ Freeman, the Rippingtons, the Braxton Brothers, Gato Barbieri, Eric Marienthal, and Cassandra Reed, among others.

GRP Records (Grusin-Rosen Productions) is a jazz record label founded by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen in 1978. Distributed by Verve Records, GRP® was originally known for its digital recordings that focuses on its jazz genre. In 1992, the label celebrated its 10th anniversary after being formed in 1982 in spectacular fashion as Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen assembled nearly every artist with the exception of singers Diane Schuur and Patti Austin to record the album GRP All-Star Big Band, which was recorded in January 1992 and featured prominent jazz artists such as Lee Ritenour, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, Tom Scott, Gary Burton, Dave Weckl, Nelson Rangell, among others. The label not only released a CD with bonus tracks, but also they recorded the event which was available on both VHS and LaserDisc.