Above The Clouds

Album Review

A nice bit of ambient guitar jazz from Greg Smith, a Tampa area player with a decidedly smooth jazz intent. The music tends very clearly toward the lighter side of things, though Smith will now and then toss in a nice run of notes to let the listener know that although the compositions are slow and pseudo-thoughtful, he does have some chops. It's those chops that keep the listener interested here, despite the occasional nature sounds and South American rain stick usage. Smith has a very nice technique to his playing, and the compositions generally work well under his phrasings. The repertoire itself is a mixture of smooth jazz and new age, with hints of the exotic here and there (including an odd piece related to Mozart's Figaro that could just as well have been an introduction from Weather Report's Heavy Weather). The playing is fine throughout, as are the compositions. The album as a whole, though, does tend to get bogged down in the evocation of a mood rather than in musicality. Depending on the interests of the listener, that will prove either a boon or a bane.