Nils - Pacific Coast Highway - Review

Track Listing
1. Pacific Coast Highway
2. Back Pocket
3. Georgy Porgy
4. Coming Home
5. You've Got A Friend
6. Cruisin'
7. Sneakin'
8. Summer Nights
9. Hey Ya
10. Keep Rollin'
11. Kona Girl
12. Baja California

September 21, 2005 - The ultra competitive world of smooth jazz can be a tough place to be. Here, highly talented musicians, not well supported by a cautious media, routinely vie for the ears of a limited audience. Consequently it's not surprising that potential stars can slip through the net. Yet hope springs eternal and there are a multitude of session musicians out there just waiting for that big chance, that lucky break that will bounce them into smooth jazz stardom.

German born guitar player Nils, who arrived in Los Angeles as long ago as the mid eighties, might have thought that chance had passed him by. His 1998 debut release, 'Blue Planet' featured such top notch artists as George Benson, Gerald Albright, Carl Anderson, Nathan East, Chante Moore, Bobby Lyle, Phil Perry, Rob Mullins, Siedah Garrett and Gerald McCauley. The concurrent "Blue Planet / West Coast All Stars" tour saw Nils combine forces with Anderson, Lyle and Perry plus saxophonist Everett Harp for an experience that seemed certain to catapult Nils' into the adult contemporary spotlight. Yet we have had to wait seven years for the follow up, 'Pacific Coast Highway'.

To say that Nils has not been active in those intervening years would be misleading in the extreme. He has recorded with a number pop and jazz greats including the Temptations, on their 'Phoenix Rising' CD, Marcus Johnson, as part of his excellent 'Chocolate City Groove' and Rick Braun, for whom he played rhythm guitar on 'Nightfall' from his 'Full Stride' album. The Nils composition 'Keep Rollin' is featured on George Benson's 1998 CD, 'Standing Together' and as a composer for TV and film, he has provided original music and re-mixes for the 2004 and 2005 Independent Spirit Awards.

Throughout the time he was making his name as a skilled session musician and composer Nils was working behind the scenes in his home studio to write, arrange and record a clutch of solo tracks. This home recording experience provided the core elements of what would evolve into 'Pacific Coast Highway'. When he found a home for the project at Baja TSR Records everything fell into place. From its release date in January 2005 the title track raced to a seven week stay at the top of the smooth jazz charts and remained in the top ten for four months and counting.

'Pacific Coast Highway' is a truly exceptional piece of work and comprehensively defines Nils own unique style that is quickly evolving into what might be described as chill out funk. Nils has been quoted as saying that first he wants a fresh sound that is different from the mainstream and second it's got to be funky. The groove he seeks is evident throughout yet on even the more up tempo numbers his production engenders a hypnotic quality that transports the listener, trance like, to another place.

'Pacific Coast Highway' features nine outstanding original compositions including the hit title track that from the very first note threatens to be special then, when Nils gets busy with his funky yet smooth groove it's a done deal, it is special. 'Back Pocket' is laid back and tight. It rolls along like a summers day with a catchy hook that makes you want to tap your feet while 'Cruisin' is perfect west coast smooth jazz, very together yet dreamy with classy vocal interjections, yes Siedah Garrett and Chante Moore are back with him, and the shock tactic of a high energy sax break from Rastine Calhoun.

He includes fresh and innovative takes on Carole King's 'You've Got A Friend' and the 1980 Toto classic, 'Georgy Porgy' but he is very much at his best with his own compositions. 'Sneakin' is another slice of laid back funk with a loping beat and some wonderful George Benson evoking guitar while 'Kona Girl', with Nils on acoustic guitar, is gentle and reflective with a delightful melody. The Latin vibe and intricate melody of 'Baja California' is reminiscent of the breaking oceans and sea breezes of its title location while 'Keep Rollin' does just that with the coolest guitar underpinned by a funky bass line and nice sax from Gerald Albright.

Personal favorites include 'Coming Home' with lush melodic playing from Nils that makes you feel warm inside, the catchy and atmospheric 'Hey Ya' with its effective use of background vocals and, the best track on the CD, the Joe Wolfe composition 'Summer Nights' that combines a kicking groove, classy guitar and sensational production. Not surprising therefore that it has just been selected as the second single from the album.

Nils' has assembled some outstanding artists to be part of the 'Pacific Coast Highway' project. As well as Albright, Moore and Garrett, the ubiquitous Steve Ferrone features on drums, Abe Laboriel plays bass, percussion is handled by Alex Acuna and Paul Jackson, Jr. contributes on guitar. The pedigree of these performers not withstanding this is very much Nils show. It indicates that he is now firmly established as a major writer, performer and producer on the smooth jazz scene. - Denis Poole - September 2005

Denis Poole operates a fantastic Smooth Jazz site called www.smoothjazztherapy.com

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