--=[ Jimmy Sommers 3 ]=--

Jimmy Sommers - Time Stands Still (2009)

Time Stands Still is a luscious reflection on 14 of the most mesmerizing melodies of all time. Sommers was inspired to embark upon this sentimental journey after completing his 2004 Christmas album, A Holiday Wish. “What made doing that album so special,” Sommers shares, “was doing songs people already knew and loved.” This dreamy disc stretches from standards such as “Georgia On My Mind” (in memory of “The Genius” Ray Charles), “Besame Mucho” and a bossa nova take on “Fly Me to the Moon” to more modern gems such as “You Are So Beautiful” (dedicated to its late composer Billy Preston), Norah Jones’ Grammy-winning “Don’t Know Why” (buoyed by piano and harmonica) and Carlos Santana’s burning bolero “Europa,” which Sommers masterfully reworked into a modern alternative from the classic `70s recording by Gato Barbieri.

All of the music was arranged by Hollywood jazz and session veteran Bill Cunliffe and highlighted by three guest vocalists: soul-pop crooner Eric Benét (singing the Judy Garland signature “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”), traditional pop veteran Gloria Loring (mother of recent chart-topper Robin Thicke who graces the sexy Peggy Lee fire-starter “Fever”) and newcomer Dena Deadly (a singer Sommers discovered on all-powerful MySpace who sings the Etta James chestnut “At Last”).














Jimmy Sommers - James Café (1998)

Bonnie Raitt's original still gets smooth jazz airplay. Candy Dulfer's version seems to have endured more so than Nelson Rangell's as the enduring cover of choice in the format. Did we really need another take on "I Can't Make You Love Me"? Saxman Jimmy Sommers thought so, and by adding an improvisational section, a little more muscle to the heartache, and soaring over the warm blues keyboard flavors of George Nash, Jr., he may have created the finest version yet for his debut James Cafe. On the other hand, he didn't need to take the pop cover idea to the extreme and do the overexposed "How Do I Live?" Sommers hits greater high notes with his original jump-funk material, which also features his tight interactions with Nash (Sommers' chief co-writer) and successful attempts to build subtle improvisations over those blues foundations. Nash is also right there with the tongue click sound of the wah-wah guitar and Fender Rhodes bubbling on the midtempo title track. Just as one might argue against another Raitt cover, it might be easy to wonder if the genre needs any more soulful soprano balladeers. Though graceful tunes like "Search from Within" are only part of Sommers' repertoire, they make some powerful emotional statements. And whatever one thinks of his sax playing and composing (thumbs up from this angle), Sommers has always got his amazing hair -- so cool, in fact, that he's got a promotional tie-in with Paul Mitchell hair care products. Luckily, his music is just as slick.

This is a MUST HAVE CD!!!

Track listing is in comments section.