Joe Sample - Rainbow Seeker (1978/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time - 42:42 minutes | 1,55 GB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front cover
One of three best-selling albums recorded by pianist Joe Sample in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this influential album led the way for contemporary jazz and the smooth jazz/adult contemporary sound of the 1980s. Sample is backed by a large group of musicians, including his former Crusader bandmate Stix Hooper on drums as well as horn and string sections.
Back in 1978 when this set was recorded, fusion (the mixture of jazz improvisation with rock rhythms) was declining. Keyboardist Joe Sample, best-known for his work with the Crusaders, was in the process of being one of the founders of "contemporary jazz," an idiom that has since solidified into smooth jazz. Sample emphasized catchy melodies, light funk rhythms, appealing chord changes and a pop sensibility. For this accessible release, Sample is joined by the late legendary guitarist Billy Rogers, bassist Pops Popwell, his old Crusaders drummer Stix Hooper, a horn section and several guest guitarists. All eight tunes (which include "Fly with the Wings of Love" and "Islands in the Rain") are by the leader, who is heard throughout in melodic form, setting up a variety of light grooves that serve as superior background music.
Tracklist:
01 - Rainbow Seeker
02 - In All My Wildest Dreams
03 - There Are Many Stops Along The Way
04 - Melodies Of Love
05 - Fly With Wings Of Love
06 - As Long As It Lasts
07 - Islands In The Rain
08 - Together We'll Find A Way