Warren Hill, Smooth Jazz Опции

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Warren Hill

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Об исполнителе

Saxophonist Warren Hill was born in Toronto; one of five children, he began playing guitar at the age of eight, and by his teens was fronting a local rock group. Originally he turned to the sax only to play in his school band, making the instrument his total focus following his introduction to jazz during a summer program at the Eastman School in Rochester, NY; influenced by David Sanborn, Hill played each weekend in a local combo while studying physics at the University of Toronto, eventually dropping out to pursue music full time. A stint at Boston's Berklee College of Music followed, and on Graduation Day 1988 he was given several featured solos; in the audience was producer Russ Titleman, who immediately hired Hill for a session with Chaka Khan. He soon relocated to Los Angeles, recording a demo tape that eventually landed him a deal with RCA; Kiss Under the Moon, Hill's debut LP, appeared in 1991, and was followed by a stint backing Natalie Cole on her Unforgettable tour. Scoring an NAC chart-topper with 1993's "The Passion Theme" (from the film Body of Evidence), he next issued the album Devotion, returning in 1995 with Truth. With 1997's Shelter, Hill began featuring his vocals as well as his instrumental skills; Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses followed in 1998 and Love Life was issued in August 2000. A collection of romantic numbers was released as Love Songs in 2002, while 2005's PopJazz had an equally appropriate title. In 2008 he joined the Koch label and released La Dolce Vita.

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La Dolce Vita (2008)

1. Mojo 4:14
2. La Dolce Vita 5:25
3. Sunshine 4:14
4. Daydreamer 5:15
5. Gimme Some 4:22
6. The Jive Samba 5:06
7. Skinny Dippin' 4:34
8. We'll Survive 5:14
9. Warm Rain 5:26
10. Hill Be Jammin' 4:22
11. Light My Fire 4:05

Рецензия

Pop superstar Natasha Bedingfield wasn't the only artist bringing a "Pocketful of Sunshine" to the musical landscape in 2008. Thanks to veteran contemporary jazz saxman Warren Hill's equal penchant for colorful vocals, his vibrant and romantic singalong "Sunshine" is an early highlight on his compelling, melodically and groovingly irresistible Koch Records debut, La Dolce Vita. Hill is so optimistic that even when the clouds come, they pour out a graceful soprano ballad full of balmy acoustic guitar harmony and "Warm Rain." Like a lot of artists in his genre who have been around since NAC became "smooth jazz," Hill's a survivor, heading to smaller labels when the majors jumped ship and always finding a comfortable home to funk around in. Song for song, this collection is as high-spirited, sensual, and colorful as any he's ever done, starting with the cool struttin' "Mojo" on down through the seductive horn-doubling extravaganzas "Daydreamer" and "Gimme Some," and digging down and dirtier on the old-school jam "Skinny Dippin'." Nearly 20 years into his career, Hill was still enjoying a little balmy exotica among his in-the-pocket can't-miss radio-ready tracks; here, he shuffles down to Rio on the moody, cosmopolitan, and vibes-kissed "The Jive Samba" and mixes Jamaican "industrialism" with sensual Latin dance grooves and horn snazziness on the appropriately titled "Hill Be Jammin'." The erstwhile rock & roller also keeps his longstanding history of doing classic rock tunes alive with a smoothed-out, dreamily hypnotic twist on "Light My Fire." As the title implies, Hill plays with a lot of sugar, as in instantly catchy ear candy. But there's enough blister and edge to make this a rich artistic triumph as well. Along for the ride are some of smooth jazz's always dependable "usual suspects," including Nathan East, Paul Jackson, Jr., and labelmates Jeff Golub and Philippe Saisse.

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