Lynn Riley | Too Cool

Lynn Riley | Too Cool
by Terrill Hanna

Just a taste of contemporary jazz, I believe, is a statement Philadelphia native Lynn Riley wanted to leave on the mind and palate of music listeners through the album, “Too Cool.” Gently swayed with an aura of island fresh, breezy musical overtones along with a personal dedication to one of jazz’s trademark players in Grover Washington. Ms. Riley shares an inspiration to culture & influence from her extensive travels throughout various places around the planet & transcended those measures into a 10 track collection of upbeat, romantic & peaceful compositions.

Recorded at Ru-ba-Groove Studios in Philadelphia, Ms. Riley connected her musical vision for “Too Cool” with programmer Rubin Edwards, Guitarists Alex Bouno & Russ Ferrara, Percussionist Donna Bostock, Conga player Sam Kalter & vocalist Staci Dickerson.

Track Listing:
~ Too Cool
~ Missing You
~ Grover’s Groove
~ Island Breeze
~ Sedona
~ Crayfish Creole
~ Tierra del Sol
~ Oasis
~ Tag You’re It
~ Pamela

Again, with enthusiasm & commitment, Lynn’s high quality play through the sax entailed discovery, as well as innovation. Leading off the CD, track ‘too cool’ soulfully pops the groove with a swift background vocal & a catchy melody. ‘Missing You’ moves into the earlobe with a background feel for the richness of island vibin’ music, allowing Lynn to escape the song on the alto with a smooth harmony & a peaceful delivery between the backup musicians. The late Mr. Grover Washington Jr, I’m sure, would have appreciated the hip, funk-tinged flavor of ‘Grover’s Groove,’ while what I made reference to a few sentences back about Island Music resurfaces again for ‘Island Breeze.’ Though this track allows for Ms. Riley to expand her chops & skill into the flute instrument.

A cool, mellow, mid-tempo energy surges in ‘Sedona.’ Strengthen with a hot snap of the beat & a fitting melody to match. ‘Crawfish Creole’ was tastefully done to suit, exploring the outer regions of Louisiana right on thru to Florida, while Spanish rhythmic ‘Tierra del Sol’ brushes the side of Latin Jazz music with enough spice & ingredients to have you listen in with a tasteful delight. The remaining 3 tracks are indeed smooth, romantic & beautiful. All completed in great detail & finished to perfection.

I felt the expansion of Ms Riley’s overall appeal & direction of ‘Too Cool’ – where it embodied a vision of travel & a vision of feel-good, well composed jazz music for all to hear. There were moments to which it felt like as if I was sitting alongside Lynn in a Greyhound Bus passing through some of the most beautiful areas/states or flying over some of the wonderful islands & beaches on earth. To share those most inner thoughts & transfer her emotional inspiration into this debut project was quite interesting & compelling. A nice way to introduce her music to jazz enthusiasts. I proudly submit these solid selection of compositions into our growing treasures of New Voices on T.U.M.S. I hope to see more ‘discoveries’ from Lynn Riley down the road.

Terrill Hanna
The Urban Music Scene