Shakin', Not Stirred
Brian Hughes has become a staple of smooth-jazz radio, crafting uplifting tunes with effervescent percussion. The Canadian guitarist continues in that vein here, invoking the idioms of '60s jazz, pop, and Latin for this CD. He's clearly influenced byWes Montgomery, generously sprinkling bluesy licks and octave phrases into his themes and generating long, continuously melodic lines in his solos. His easy fluency really lights up the seductive air of "On Moonless Nights." There's nothing retro, though, in Hughes's tasteful use of guitar synth and in the carpet of sound that the band lays down. He gets consistent support from his long-established working band, playing hand in glove with Les Portelli on piano and keyboards. --Adam Rains