The Rippingtons were and still are a major force in the post fusion world of smooth jazz even though their music also highlights the fusion genre quite well, still making it accessible to listeners. This performance is of a tune called "High Roller" from their 1992 record, "Weekend In Monaco". The band was able to write instrumentals and give them titles that represented exotic places around the world, or, pleasing landscapes, while still having music that had a lot of polish, and yet, retained the complexity and instrumental virtuosity of fusion jazz.
The members of the band like leader and guitarist Russ Freeman and bassist Kim Stone have been joined by a rotating cast of other musicians since the band formed in 1986. Here, the main highlights are Freeman, Stone and saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa who was the most prolific sax player to record and tour with the band. But, other players like Brandon Fields and Eric Marienthal have also recorded with The Rippingtons. Will have ideas and/or reviews of more of their albums when they strike me. For now, enjoy, "High Roller" from a video they did of a concert in L.A. back in the early 1990s.
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