Had anyone told me just two short years ago that I would be writing an enthusiastic review on an artist normally tossed in with those working the smoother side of the jazz street, I would have said you were insane. However with the passage of time and with some much needed attention the smoother side of jazz is reinventing itself towards a more contemporary fusion that is a hybrid of the best of both worlds. Simply put, old school is becoming new cool in today's smoother jazz market. Michael Lington and Trippin N Rhythm records are leading the way with a new sound, new release and new attitude when it comes to staking their claim as a driving force in the contemporary arena. Michael Lington had a few friends drop by to help with the Pure. Lee Ritenour, Jeff Golub, Rickey Minor, Jonathan Butler, Brian Culbertson, Paul Jackson Jr., Michael Bolton, Ray Parker Jr. and then toss in Paul Brown doing his thing behind the glass handling the mixing duties on some tunes and you have a monster release that is built on balance. Michael Lington embodies everything that is good and happening on the smoother side of jazz. With a unique and incredibly lyrical presentation, Lington does not roll from the more cookie cutter mold of some players. Having cut his musical teeth playing with phenomenal vocalists like Bobby Caldwell and Michael Bolton, Lington has his own sound and own vision with this perfectly paced effort. A vibrant release brimming with texture and subtle nuances that keep things interesting and create just the right vibe to let you know while contemporary, there is something a little deeper going on just below the surface. An old school soul vibe that sneaks up on you and is a friendly reminder of the true roots of contemporary jazz and the direction it now seems headed. From the opening single with Lee Ritenour, Roundtrip to the classic "Shotgun" featuring Michael Bolton on vocals, be it new school or old there is something here for everyone. The Bill Withers classic "Lovely Day" never sounded better with an approach leaning a little more to the funky but without every losing the trademark deep soul that is the Withers sound. The sign of a true artist is taking on others work without disrespecting the original or yourself and Lington delivers the goods! A slower and slightly more full bodied ballad "Like Old Times" featuring Brian Culbertson and Ray Parker Jr. comes from a rich deep sound that is absent on similar releases by other artists. Favorites here include the the sweet ride Lee Ritenour gives "Roadtrip" and of course Michael Bolton on "Shotgun." Arguably this could easily be considered Lington's finest release to date. With similar releases from other artists, the record normally tanks after about the sixth track but from open to close this is as good as it gets for contemporary jazz. The stars were all in perfect alignment when it came time to roll tape on Pure...the rest were in the studio performing! From mixing board to microphone, Pure is a five star winner and as entertaining a release as you will find across any genre of music. Tracks: Roadtrip; The Serenade; Playtime; Lower East Side; Shotgun; Like Old Times; Lovely Day; Movin On; Come On Over; A Simpler Time. Personnel: Michael Lington: alto & tenor saxophone; Lee Ritenour: lead guitar; Oscar Seaton: drums; Smitty Smith: bass; Brian Culbertson: keyboards; Ray Parker Jr.: guitar; Jeff Babko: hammond b3, wurlitzer, clavinet; Michael Stever: trumpet & horn arrangement; Michael Brioni: trombone; Torcuato Mariano: acoustic guitar; Teddy Campbell: drums; Rickey Minor: bass; Dave Delhomme: rhodes and hammond b3; Paul Jackson Jr.: electric guitars; Michael Broening: keyboards; Rex Hardy: drums; Jeff Golub: lead guitar; Victor Indrizzo: drums; Kaveh Rastegar: bass; Michael Bolton: vocals; Michael Thompson: electric guitars; Janey Clewer: vocals; Sheldon Reynolds: vocals; Chris Bruce: guitars; Tollak Ollestad: Harmonica; Cameron Harder-Handel: trumpet; Thano Sahnas: acoustic guitar; Kenya Hathaway: vocals; Jonathan Butler: acoustic guitar.