Jazz Monthly.com Interview with The Rippingtons

“Jazz Monthly Feature Interview” The Rippingtons

Smitty: My next guest has enjoyed a remarkable 20 years of making great music along with one of the most celebrated bands in the format. I have been a fan from day one. When this band first came on the scene in 1987, they literally changed the face of the format. They have a great new record that is about to be released and it is a strong statement of this bands 20 year history. They’re known for their ultrasonic rhythms and seismic grooves, and this latest record is testimony to that, and this project comes with a fantastic “Retrospective” DVD. Please welcome monster guitarist, a great songwriter, representing The Rippingtons, Peak recording artist Russ Freeman. Russ, how ya doin’?

Russ Freeman (RF): Smitty, great to be back. How you been?

Smitty: I’m cool, man. I must say that I’m stoked about this great new record!

RF: Well, thank you.

Smitty: Wow! Congratulations on 20 years of great music, my friend.

RF: Thank you so much. It’s been such a joy to be able to meet people like you and our great fans and, you know, Houston is where it all started for us.

Smitty: You’re right, how ‘bout that? I still remember those magical nights at Rockefeller’s in the 80’s and 90’s. We had some kickin’ good times. That was so cool and memorable.

RF: (Laughs)

Smitty: On the DVD you talked about a lot of the past musicians and some of the ones that were a part of the group in the beginning and along the way. It was great to see Mark Portman on there, Tony Morales, and Jeff Kashiwa, it brought back a lot of those fond memories.

RF: You know what was so great is getting Tony to play on the new CD because he has been out of the picture, actually, and the music business for about ten years, so it was great to have him come back and be part of it again.

Smitty: I can imagine. That must have been such a chill thrill. This has to be just a classic reunion for you and the rest of the band to invite some of those guys back. I’m not gonna give away everything on the DVD. I think people should see this for themselves. We’ll talk a little about it, but the great guests that you have on there speaking about their time of making music with you cats, like Dave Koz, Jeffrey Osborne, and Kirk Whalum, I think that is just a beautiful thing. This must be a classic reunion for you. How are you reflecting on this?

RF: Well, I was amazed how receptive all the people were that I called. It’s basically the friends that we’ve been working with over the past 20 years, but when I called the people for the reunion CD, I think that maybe they were nostalgic for the great fun that we’ve had in the past as well because nobody said no. Everybody wanted to be a part of it. That just made it more fun. It was fun to get back together, fun to see the friends that I hadn’t seen in a while, and it was fun to make music with them again and see how they’ve progressed as players.

Smitty: Yeah, absolutely, man. Talk about what your thoughts were as you were putting this whole thing together and actually seeing them. Did you have some reflective thoughts of your own as you were putting this together?

RF: Well, I just really wanted to incorporate as many of the people from the past as I could and I was debating whether we wanted more newer or more older music, and I really thought that the fans always want new music.

Smitty: Yes! We love new music!

RF: But I also wanted to make a nod to the past and that’s how we came up with the medley, the idea of the medley being some of the really popular title tracks throughout the years. It really clicked for me when I figured out that I could get the musicians that had originally played on it to play on the medley, on the newer version of it, so it would be the same players 20 years later. (Laughs)

Smitty: Yeah! How cool is that! I can remember you incorporating a medley in your live performance about 10-12 years ago and thought even back then that it was cool. Please tell me that you will be doing that on your upcoming tour.

RF: We will be doing a few medleys in the show, actually, to try and play as many songs as possible!

Smitty: Very cool, thank you!

RF: It was intriguing to see how the players would approach it, how they would play, and it was interesting.

Smitty: It is and it sounds just as good on this project or better than it was back then.

RF: Well, again, I’m not surprised that all the players sound better, they have 20 years more experience. I mean, we were just kids when we started.

Smitty: Yeah and that’s sort of reflected in the DVD. You could see the change in the photographs and just the live performances and then how it came forward. You could see the change in everybody.

RF: Yeah. (Laughs)

Smitty: But it’s cool, you know? And I thought about people like Steve Reid, who is just an amazing percussionist, and what he contributed to the band. He really helped to bring a whole new appreciation to percussionists around the world. I was reflecting myself as I watched the DVD, thinking about when I first met Steve and some of the descriptions that people have made about him, and I remember your colorful descriptions about that on stage and I think that’s what people enjoyed, are the musicians and their great talents. You cats always had fun while you were making music, be it live or studio. You always had fun and I can see why they all said yes to this project.

RF: Oh, definitely, definitely. That’s what it’s all about and the great thing about the group, and I think the reason people like being in it, is that they have a way to stretch out.

Smitty: Yeah.

RF: And I like the fact that the players can really give the most of themselves in the group and that’s what makes it fun.

Smitty: Yes, and you always seem to somehow select these great musicians; for example you could introduce a new sax player at some point and we were missing the one that had just left to move on to their own solo career, and the new sax player would bring a fresh new vibe.

RF: There’s talent out there, there’s a lotta talented people.

Smitty: Yes indeed and you’ve always had such a great rhythm section, and I wanna stop and just say something for a minute. I don’t know how much people have mentioned this to you or in the press or anywhere, but I’ve said this all along: you are one fantastic songwriter. We’ve seen you live with a guitar and all of that, which is phenomenal, but I have always admired your songwriting skills. The medley itself speaks for that, you know?

RF: Well, thank you, thank you, Smitty. You know, it’s funny because I’ve always thought that it was my main contribution to the group, which is the songwriting, but I’ve probably contributed more in the way of guitar playing in the last several years than I had in the beginning. In the beginning it was all production and songwriting, and then as I got to be a better player and branched out and really became so much more versed in different styles, I started really playing a lot more guitar.

Smitty: Yeah.

RF: But thank you for that.

Smitty: Oh, you’re so welcome, man, and that comes from the heart. And you know what, Russ? Not only were you cats putting out music constantly, this is 20 years of great work. I mean, you cats…

RF: (Laughs)

Smitty: We could look forward to a new record almost every year and then you found time to do Drive, your solo project, and then I still remember Nocturnal Playground.

RF: Oh, thank you.

Smitty: Oh yeah, man. And then look at what you did with Jason Miles on the Maximum Grooves thing. You know, you have really stretched it out and done some really cool stuff, not to mention the Benoit/Freeman Projects, which are fantastic, so you have been one working cat. I mean, you’ve earned these 20 years and you have never put out anything that didn’t have the utmost quality.

RF: Thanks, man, thank you. It’s all about trying to put out the best product that we can and connecting with the fans but, yeah, I really feel proud of a lot of the things we’ve done. I think it’s been amazing but, you know, we owe it all to the fans. That’s where it all goes back.

Smitty: That’s a beautiful relationship, isn’t it? I think in terms of relationships in any kind of situation, the fan-musician relationship, regardless of the genre, it just stands out and it’s right up there at the top with other relationships in life, and I think that is a beautiful thing when you can be a part of that because not everyone can capture that.

RF: Oh, well, thanks, thank you. The world has changed so much since we started, but we had a great time, man, we had a great ride.

Smitty: Yeah, absolutely. This is something to really celebrate and I think that this project is really a celebration of what you just mentioned: your relationship with the fans over the years, the friends that you have encountered over the years, and fostered those relationships, and not only with the fans but fellow musicians and so many other people that come along the way.

RF: Definitely.

Smitty: And I remember some of the musicians that stand out for me are on Life in the Tropics. When I heard Bob James on that project that was phenomenal.

RF: Some performances kinda grow on you and surprise you, and it was funny. I was talking to Art Good today and we had worked with Kenny Loggins on a song years ago with David Benoit. And he hadn’t heard it and it’s like you suddenly realize, you know, you’re hearing these things, like, ‘oh, that was pretty cool’, and I think the performance of Bob James that you’re talking about is the same for me. I heard it on the radio not too long ago and thought, man, that’s great! (Both laughing) Oh, he’s wonderful.

Smitty: Yes indeed. And just to back up a little bit: Moonlighting. That, I think, was one of the top ten breakthrough records of any genre. When you think in terms of that whole change in the sound and what that created, because from that point we start to hear a lot of other bands try to, if not mimic, at least try to capture that in some way. And I think that was such a breakthrough record with some phenomenal artists on there that were mentioned on the DVD, such as Dave Koz and Gregg Karukas and all of these great guys that have gone on to have fantastic solo careers. So the band was such a launching pad for some of these guys.

RF: Yeah, I think in a sense, yes, but there was a lot of talent and a lot of careers that were gonna happen regardless. I just think that it was a very synergistic time when we all got together and I’m not surprised of the talent and the careers that have happened.

Smitty: Yeah, absolutely. You know how to pick ‘em, man! (Both laughing)

RF: Been lucky.

Smitty: Well, speaking of great musicians, you’ve had such a mainstay with one of my great friends in this business, and I mean a great friend, and that’s Kim Stone.

RF: Oh yeah. He’s been with us almost since the beginning, for about 18 years.

Smitty: Yeah, he came in around, what, Curves Ahead?

RF: Yeah.

Smitty: Yeah, and he has just been such a great bass player and a great guy, like you mentioned.

RF: You know, it’s funny because I think people really equate him most with the Jazz Cat. He’s the coolest cat, kind of a beatnik, you know. (Both laughing) He’s got the lifestyle.

Smitty: Yeah, you know, I think he’s one of the top 5 bass players on the scene, he’s so cool and he’s always got it goin’ on, and it’s always a great hang with him. You mentioned the Jazz Cat and I’ve always been intrigued by Bill Mayer as I have been with Charles Schulz with the whole Charlie Brown series because I think there are certain people that have such magnificent talent that we see the talent but we don’t really know the person. We know that one clear fact, that they are just phenomenally talented. Talk to me about your impression of meeting Bill and talking to him and the kind of guy he is.

RF: Well, no doubt he’s an outstanding talent and very, very nice guy, super nice guy. I made the mistake of introducing him to our fans in Atlanta one time. You know, he had come to see the show, and I was effusive in my praise of our great Jazz Cat artist and that’s the last I ever saw of him at any show. (Both laughing) I don’t think he liked the recognition. I think he likes being more anonymous.

Smitty: Yeah, and I can understand that, and I wanna say this now, that we have enjoyed his artistry and creativity with the Jazz Cat because he’s created such a great mix of those over the years for the band.

RF: Genius, absolute genius.

Smitty: Yeah, and that was such a pull, I think, of the fans to that Jazz Cat, I really do.

RF: Sure, absolutely.

Smitty: Let’s talk about this record a little bit more, man.

RF: What’s your favorite song?

Smitty: My favorite song?

RF: Mm-hmm.

Smitty: Oh ho ho…”Kiss Under the Moonlight.”

RF: You liked that?

Smitty: I love that track. That’s a great track.

RF: Great job by Koz on that, huh?

Smitty: Yes.

RF: And that’s a performance top to bottom on his part. We didn’t have to edit him and, you know how it is, sometimes you have to comp and you have a bunch of takes. That was the real thing.

Smitty: Wow!

RF: Yeah, he’s a wonderful player.

Smitty: Oh, man, is he ever. I also liked “Six Four.”

RF: Yeah, that’s just featuring Steve Reid and Dave Karasony.

Smitty: Yeah, and once again it goes back to those great rhythm sections, man, absolutely. Well, now, let me ask you: you’ve been a part of this, you’ve been right there in the middle of all of this, if anyone could talk about some of the peaks of this whole 20 years, talk to me about your top two or three peaks or highlights of things that happened along the way, be it the music, encounters with the fans, a significant turning point, or just any of those things that really strike you along the way.

RF: Well, okay. One of the early ones was going to Puerto Rico. I’ll never forget. We really started touring through the Caribbean countries and that opened my eyes totally to the whole different kinds of music, and I really started getting into the whole Latin music thing and I credit all the fans in the Caribbean countries for that. That was one peak. And, of course, when we had number one records, that was a wonderful experience. Our first one was Welcome to the St. James Club. Another peak for me was Black Diamond. That was really kind of a reinvention of my songwriting and just the way I was approaching music.

Smitty: Yes.

RF: That was a really good time and, another big one for us was Life in the Tropics.

Smitty: Oh yeah, one of my favorites all time.

RF: Total reinvention again, you know?

Smitty: Yeah.

RF: It’s interesting. The timeline of The Ripps has kinda mirrored my own timeline of my own life, and I guess it’s autobiographical in that sense. You’re always writing about your life, in a sense.

Smitty: Absolutely, yeah. I totally agree with you. And on Black Diamond, I loved “Seven Nights in Rome.”

RF: Oh yeah, one of my favorites.

Smitty: And it goes back again, like you said, the songwriting, and I always looked for your songwriting and any changes in that whenever I got a new Rippingtons project. I was never disappointed.

RF: Thanks. It’s interesting because radio has kinda followed us in a sense yes and in a sense not, but the fans have always totally followed us. (Laughs)

Smitty: Yes they have. All right, so now, do you have a favorite album? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…

RF: You know what one of my favorite records is? The Drive CD.

Smitty: Oh, how ‘bout that?

RF: It’s probably one of the lesser known, maybe even unknown, but I tell ya, when we play songs from that live, they always work, man. And whenever I need a great song that’s gonna get the crowd into it, I just play one of those. (Both laughing) For some reason, nobody’s ever heard of the record, but they love the songs when they hear ‘em.

Smitty: Oh wow, how ‘bout that? I don’t know how because, man, that’s a great project. And I wondered how you found time to do that record.

RF: Well, there’s some really cool guest artists on that. Chris Botti’s on it.

Smitty: Yup.

RF: Yeah, there are some very cool people on there.

Smitty: And we didn’t mention all of them. As well as other projects, some of these artists that you have worked with in the past are on their way to being legends if they’re not already living legends like the Welcome to the St. James Club project, you know, there was Patti Austin, Joe Sample there, Kirk Whalum was there, you know, these artists are phenomenal.

RF: Sure.

Smitty: And they brought so much to the table. Unbelievable.

RF: Many of them are my heroes, definitely.

Smitty: No doubt. So now, the album comes out, what, July 25th?

RF: Yes, July 25th.

Smitty: How ‘bout that? So that’s just around the corner. And I know there’s a lot of excitement with this CD. I highly recommend this record for anyone because it just has such a vibe and especially for the fans that have followed The Rippingtons over the years, they are going to just totally identify with this record, and I think that’s the beautiful thing. They will celebrate along with you with this record.

RF: Yeah, I think they’re gonna have some great memories when they hear these songs.

Smitty: I really encourage everyone to pull out that DVD from the back and watch the DVD because I think you did a fantastic job of taking everyone back and then bringing them forward. It’s a great production.

RF: Cool. Glad you like it, man.

Smitty: Yeah, I really do, and I’m looking forward to seeing you cats on the road. I gotta catch a show and hang out a little bit.

RF: Well, Houston’s gonna be one of our first stops on the tour.

Smitty: Oh, cool. Yeah, in fact, that’s coming up, that’s right, in August.

RF: Right, on the 10th of August.

Smitty: Yeah, well, you know I will come in for that one. I’ll try to get backstage and hang for a minute.

RF: Absolutely. Looking forward to it.

Smitty: All right, well, Russ, I really appreciate you taking some time to talk about this great record and a great 20 year ride. I think this is the kind of music that we will be listening to 20 years from now.

RF: Well, I hope so. (Both laughing) I hope so, Smitty. Thanks to you, man.

Smitty: Yes indeed, my friend. All right, we’ve been talking with the fantastic guitarist from The Rippingtons, Russ Freeman. You must check out this great new record. It’s the 20 Year Anniversary CD that’s accompanied by a wonderful DVD that really tells a great story about this incredible group and what they’ve accomplished over the years. And don’t miss the live performance! Russ, thanks again, my friend, congratulations to you and the band, and let’s celebrate the year with this great new record.

RF: Thanks so much, Smitty, see you soon!

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit www.rippingtons.com or www.peakrecords.com