Nils - City Groove (2012)

In the seven years since Munich-born, Los Angeles-based guitarist Nils became a fixture in the smooth jazz genre via his massive radio hit "Pacific Coast Highway," he hasn't become the A-list fixture at the big festivals and all-star cruises as he should be -- but his consistency in composing and recording funked-out, super-crisp electric guitar gems that soothe as they groove has been formidable. Perhaps it's because he set a high bar for himself writing a book called How to Make Your Guitar Talk. Or maybe because, as on the dynamic and infectious City Groove, he's always working with and drawing inspiration from an incredible array of all-star musical cohorts. From the simmering, brass-fired rock-soul of the title track through the bluesy old-school soul-jazz romp "Funk in da House," Nils' fluid and crackling lines dance and dart over the pockets created alternately by Ricky Lawson and Simon Phillips (drums) working with Alex Al and Darryl Jones (bass). Mitch Forman's piano and organ spots add a rich jazz and blues depth to Nils' lighthearted (but just gritty enough) pop/rock vibe. In a happy surprise of a moment, a duet between Nils and fellow genre guitar star Jeff Golub is a soaring thoughtful ballad, full of eloquent expression (think a classic crying Eric Clapton ballad) rather than a hard rock free-for-all (which these two could have done in a heartbeat). That single track adds a powerful emotional balance to the set -- and adds dynamic heart and soul to this glorious romp through the city grooves the title promises. -- Jonathan Widran -- AllMusic.com