One of the greatest jazz-rock guitarists of the '80s and '90s provides this classic Christmas guitar album. A hugely successful guitarist and composer, Larry Carlton emerged from the Los Angeles studio scene of the late '60s, eventually becoming a popular contemporary jazz artist in his own right. Noted for his lithe technique, sweet-toned, blues-inflected sound, and distinctive use of volume pedals, Carlton first came to prominence as a member of crossover jazz and R&B outfit the Crusaders. From there, he developed into an in-demand session player, recording on up to 500 albums a year and appearing on over 100 gold albums. His studio credits from the '70s and early '80s include work with musicians and groups like Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis, Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and literally dozens of others.

For several years, decades in fact, a lost gem issued originally not just in the US but in the UK as well (and our vinyl pressings were always much better than their US counterparts), on Chrysalis records who, for a while, had some very good material in this genre, for example the two Auracle albums (and wouldn't lots of us like to get those on CD). But finally it's now reappeared on CD and how very nice it is to be reacquainted with it in that format. Anyway, this album ~ his second, as far as I know ~ features a host of jazz luminaries of the day (Hancock, Erskine, Pastorius, Carlton, Ritenour, Gadd, etc.) and its only failing is its mildly raw upper registers, though thankfully there are no vocals to pollute the proceedings and Jaco Pastorius' electric bass work is of truly sterling calibre. On this album, if anywhere, you can hear why he was held in such very high esteem by his contemporaries.

Following up his surprise hit debut on acoustic guitar, Alone/But Never Alone, Carlton offers a collection of easygoing, laid-back, Wave-oriented smooth jazz that slowly reveals hints of the full range of his capabilities. At first, it sounds as if the guitarist would be merely killing time here, but starting with the funky "Knock on Wood," things get progressively more interesting as Carlton seems to find his funky bearings. "Discovery" is actually quite nice with its cushiony vamp; "My Home Away From Home" finds Carlton flashing his acoustic chops quite effectively; the shuffling "Minute By Minute" garnered a lot of airplay. Kirk Whalum can be relied upon for stock, crowd-pleasing R&B tenor solos on several tracks, while Terry Trotter plays digital synths, John Pena handles the bass, and Rick Marotta is on drums. Nice stuff, not too demanding, but it wears well.

More than any other genre, jazz seems best suited for the live environment. An artist can improvise in the studio, certainly, but in concert a musician can ignore time limits and stretch creative possibilities. This is especially true of all-star collaborations; they can seem contrived or forced, but when chemistry exists between the players, the result is jazz in its purest, most exciting form. Such is the case on this disc, which features five contemporary giants: Clarke, Larry Carlton, Najee, Deron Johnson, and Billy Cobham. Seventy minutes for seven songs allows the players to interact and solo at length, stretching originals and Miles and Mingus covers to their limit.

After decades of recording for RCA Victor, Atkins switched labels; this 1985 effort is a summit meeting of sorts with young guitar hotshots like Larry Carlton, George Benson, Mark Knopfler, Steve Lukather, and Earl Klugh, plus session A-teamers like Boots Randolph, Larrie Londin, David Hungate, Mark O'Connor and others. Atkins' tone is, as usual, faultless, and his playing superb. If the "meetings" don't always come off, it's usually due to the overzealousness of the other guitar players (Lukather's over-the-top style screams '80s big hair, for instance), not Chet, whose playing always exercises the utmost in restraint in every situation. All in all, a good modern-day Chet Atkins album, but not the place to start a collection.

One of the tastiest concoctions of the mid-'70s jazz-fusion era, Chain Reaction finds the Crusaders at the top of their form. The compositions are both accessible and memorable, and the playing is uniformly excellent. Guitarist Larry Carlton delivers some of his finest licks and funkified rhythm work. Wayne Henderson shows there is a place in fusion for the trombone. Wilton Felder does double duty, delivering smoking saxophone lines and funky bass riffs. Joe Sample's Fender Rhodes piano provides a solid chordal foundation and great solos. And the stickman, Stix Hooper, keeps the groove solid. The band employs a variety of rhythms and tempos, and gives the members plenty of room to strut their individual and collective stuff. In fact, "collective" may be the key word here, for this is the sound of a band, not just a group of guys thrown together for a recording session. Chain Reaction was one of the albums that helped lure young, rock and soul-oriented listeners over to check out the jazz side, and should not be missed by those interested in the more accessible, funky side of fusion.

By the time Larry Carlton recorded Friends, his status as a guitar legend had already been established. In addition to being admired by musicians, he was also loved by Muzak programmers. His blend of happy pop-jazz was the perfect background music for dentist offices. For those who care to listen closer, there is some excellent guitar work being performed. A good example of this would be his creative improvisation on the introduction to "South Town." His duet with B.B. King on "Blues for TJ" is wonderful. It is refreshing to hear two players who are more interested in sharing ideas than showing off. The scat version of "Tequila," courtesy of Al Jarreau, was also interesting. As with most Carlton recordings, there is something here for just about everyone; there's just not enough of it.

Some of jazz' finest musicians join guitarist Larry Carlton on Deep Into It, his second CD as a leader for the Warner Bros. Jazz label. Carlton wrote six new songs for this offering, and covers such songs as "Put It Where You Want It," written by Joe Sample, and the Stevie Winwood hit "Roll With It." Accompanying musicians are Chris Potter on saxophone and Billy Kilson on drums, both known primarily for their work with the Dave Holland Quintet; Harvey Mason, who holds down the rhythm logic on "I Still Believe"; and smooth jazz phenom Kirk Whalum, who turns in a great solo on the title track, on tenor saxophone. The two tenor saxophonists are highly capable in different approaches, and Carlton makes good use of both Potter and Whalum throughout the program. R&B hitmaker Shai lends his soulful vocals to "I Can't Tell You Why," and truly gives the Eagles' mega-hit a fresh interpretation with his one-of-a-kind artistry.

Three-time Grammy winner, Larry Carlton and Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto, the most renowned guitarist in all of Asia, teamed up to compose, record, and release "Take Your Pick", an extraordinary collection of 12 original instrumentals already being hailed as "one of the most significant collaborations of contemporary guitar of all time."