By: Geof O`Keefe
oving from Windham Hill to Peak/Concord, Russ Freeman and Co. return with another solid, enjoyable foray into the world of adult contemporary instrumental music. While the promotional slant on "Life In The Tropics" is that it is a "celebration of that irrepressible Latin vibe," The Rippingtons' music has always had the strong rhythmic percussion aspect that is associated with Latin jazz, so this really isn't that much of a departure and fans needn't worry that the band has strayed from their core sound.
Among the typically-catchy Freeman stand-outs are "Club Paradiso," the title track and the tropical-reggae flavored "Island Aphrodisiac," but the highlight is the fiery "Avenida Del Mar," with Freeman playing some fluid, hot soloing in a style sorely missed from the earlier Rippingtons recordings. Also of note are "South Beach Mambo," bearing a strong resemblance to Santana's "Smooth," and a beautiful vocal track, "I Found Heaven," featuring soulful vocals from Howard Hewett. The perfect summer album for those cold winter nights.
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