The idea of Skip Martin's first solo jazz project was pure and simple: “it was just time".
With 26 album releases as lead vocalist with Dazz Band, Kool & the Gang and his own solo projects, Grammy winner Skip Martin wanted to record a project where he did his “singing" through his trumpet. “I've recorded with both groups in the horn section but never as a solo instrument," stated Skip.
The result is Miles High, filled with hip, cool, funky, smooth jazz grooves. “You'll definitely come away ... with ... a sense of what Miles might be doing musically if he were still with us," writes Scott O'Brien for smoothjazz.com.
“Are You Ready," the debut single, with Skip on trumpet and vocals, Wayman Tisdale on bass guitar and Ricky Lawson on drums is “ ... a laid back blend of classic styles. If Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd were in the same band they would open their set with this tune"--Gene Harris, Jr., MBA and Cat Lee for GrooveDoctorsRadio.com.
Ronnie Laws appears on sax on the “Smooth Sailing" track in a beautiful trumpet and sax duet - ranging from sultry grooves to profound narratives.
“Miles High," the title cut, a tribute to Miles Davis written the night Miles died, clearly shows an insightful range of diverse influences from the modern jazz era known as the Miles Years.
Al McKay of Earth, Wind & Fire comes through on guitar with the track “Old School Rules" and Bruce Conti of Tower of Power also on guitar is featured on “Careless Whisper."
“I'm very excited about this project," admits Skip Martin. “It took two years in the making, with a few starts and stops, but the journey was well worth the time."
