Brian Simpson comes off as a modern day Antonio Jobim, composing tunes as well as playing piano or keyboards on this album with a lyrical spaciousness that is reminiscent of the bossa nova master. The tunes have a light jazzy or tropical feel, with the mix of musicians in Michael White/dr, Alex Al/b, Kevin Chokan-Yarone Levy -Antonio Gomez/g, Aure Ortega/key, Ramon Yslas-Brian Kilgore/perc Brandon Lane/b-g-key and various guests creating tunes of luscious lyricism.
Some George Bensony licks supplied by Ray Fuller shoot the tube through the white wave of soulful grooving on “Blue Mystique” while Yarone Levy looks good in Earl Klughish nylons on a tropical “Story Of Love” and ditto for Antonio Gomez on a graceful teaming with the leader on “In Search Of My Dream”. Keyon Harold’s trumpet is as black as Hugh Masakela’s night as he pierces Simpson’s synthy skies on “Midnight Groove”. Isaiah Coller’s tenor sax is filled with chunks of protein on the filling and fulfilling low carb’d “Under The Stars” with Steve Alariz’s reed in a romantic form with “Quiet Kiss”. Simpson himself is a master of setting a mood, letting space between the notes say as much as the notes themselves, like the master Jobim, on the flowing “Sunset Mirage” . Quiet nights and quiet stars.