Chris Standring - Simple Things (2022)

Following a heart attack in March 2021, British-born, L.A.-based guitarist and composer Chris Standring bounces back nicely with this release. A pleasant blend of instrumental smooth jazz over funk-lite grooves with some interesting arrangement/timbre/production choices - in other words, a typical effort from Standring that's right up my alley. This stuff never fails to make me feel good and we could all use more feel-good these days.

More on the album and samples available on Standring's website: chrisstandring.com.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Shadow Of A Doubt (#13 Billboard Jazz Airplay chart) and Change the World (#1 on same chart) are my top picks. Also good are the ballad A Thousand Words (For Samantha) and the funky Ain't Nothin' But A Thing.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Real Life (2020)

Chris Standring - Real Life (2020)

So I'm on my regular commute on I-410 a couple of years back with the radio set to the Sirius/XM Watercolors channel and I hear a tune that immediately captivates me: Fast Train To Everywhere. When I got home, I fell down a Chris Standring rabbit hole and I'm still a'tumble.

Standring is a British born, L.A.-based smooth jazz guitarist who, at times, reminds me a bit of Norman Brown. He's been releasing music for over 20 years (first solo effort in 1998) and it's a little embarrassing that I haven't heard of him until now, but better late than never. Here's more on the album from the artist himself:

Recommended listening anytime/anywhere, but I seem to be enjoying it more in the evenings on the back porch.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: TBD

Tracks: I'm all in from the opening track, Is There A Doctor In The House? and then I just keep on for the full ride. Standring includes a beautiful nylon string tune titled Another Train that might challenge the aforementioned Doctor tune for my favorite track. There's also a funk-lite acid jazz tune with vocals from Vanessa Haynes (a name I recognize from Incognito), who crushes it. Most are Standring originals, along with a tasty cover of a 1969 Herbie Hancock tune and a prelude from the Bach cello suites. The latter, while I enjoy it, seems out of place on the disc.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, haven't even had this CD for three weeks.