Contemporary jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum decided to take a little trip back in time on Roundtrip, back to the Memphis club scene that nurtured him early on, and to record some of his earliest compositions -- and ones written expressly for him -- with fresh ears as well as some new ones. Recording in four different places from Memphis to Los Angeles to New York to England, Whalum asked some old pals to pop in, like
Earl Klugh
,
Jeff Golub
,
Gerald Albright
, and
Philippe Saisse
, as well as some of his stalwart rocksteady bandmates such as
Rex Rideout
, drummer
Michael White
, bassist
Melvin Davis
, guitarist
Mark Jaimes
, and trumpeter
James McMillan
. There are a few other surprises as well, such as the appearance of
Kim Fields
on "In a Whisper,"
Shanice
on "Inside," and sons
Kyle
,
Hugh
, and
Kevin
making appearances as well. Issued on his own Rendezvous Music imprint, this is Whalum at his most relaxed and celebratory. That said, Roundtrip has no less polish than anything recor