TITLE: The L.A. Chillharmonic featuring Richard Smith (Artistry Music)

ARTISTS: The L.A. Chillharmonic

STARS: 2 out of 5 Stars

SOUNDS LIKE: unimaginative but innocuously pleasant smooth jazz

Tom Scott and the L.A. Express created an enjoyable but easily forgettable brand of jazz fun pop fusion in the 1970s. Now guitarist Richard Smith and the L.A Chillharmonic create an equally inoffensive brand of smooth jazz for the millinnium.

Richard Smith and a talented group of musicians including Greg Adams, Alex Acuña, Brian Bromberg, Vinnie Colaiuta, Gregg Karukas, Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal and Patrice Rushen make up the L.A Chillharmonic. In spite of all this talent, there’s little imagination or improvisation in the playing.

Most of the CD features groove heavy sax and guitar work with highly accessible covers of Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie on Reggae Woman” and Brian McKnight’s “What We do Here.” True, it’s all easy on the ears but there’s little reason for repeated listening other than in a background setting.

Only “Alvinator” and the relaxing “Gift” which features a functional solo by Patrice Rushen, salvages this somewhat pedestrian recording. Let’s hope the group ramps up the creativity on the next release. There’s too much talent going to waste here.