Veteran guitar man Tim Bowman is back with a new album for 2021. The title is Smooth Vibes Vol. 1, and once you take a listen, you will see that the title fits the overall theme of the album. This is a ten track effort, and Kirk Whalum appears on one of the tracks.
Let's take a listen!
Review - 'Smooth Vibes Vol. 1' by Tim Bowman
The entire album is chill, and Table for Two offers a mid-tempo vibe. Bowman's guitar is effortless, and the accompaning strings are nice and airy. The breakdown midway through the song, then the piano solo really complete the track.
For You My Love is next. Even though this is an instrumental song, you can sense that Bowman is telling a story here. It is one of longing and anticipation. you can fill in your narrative to complete that story. The bass and the drums are exceptional and overall, it is a great track.
In Acoustic Rain, Bowman dazzles with the acoustic guitar, and the background vocal fills fit right in. The song is akin to a long interlude, as it really gives the listener the opportunity to hear the instrumentation.
Miracle is next. Bowman's style really comes through here, with the strings and the piano that are featured right along with that guitar. If you want to mellow out, then this is the track for you.
We get a vocal track with Yes, No and Yes. This is a song of appreciation and love, where you reassure your mate that the two of you are in this forever. It really does not get any better than that.
Love Joy Peace is a song with a groove that will bring you back to 1995. The sax is one of the lead instruments and in addition to the great guitar, and it has a nice background vocal arrangement. This is the type of track that we like to put in the mix, as it has all of the elements of a great smooth jazz song.
Kirk Whalum guests on The Gift. If you know anything about Kirk Whalum, you KNOW his horn, and he definitely makes an entrance and we are all about it! With Bowman strumming that guitar, how could you not like this track?
Paradise is next. This track is all about the guitar. You have your strings and bass, but there's something about the guitar play that makes you appreciate Bowman's flow.
The track Wanda Patrice really sounds like an ode to a loved one. We get the sense that Bowman is waiting for someone to return, and he is using the guitar to call out to her. The nice thing about instrumentals is that the listener is able to create that picture, and this song gives the listener the opportunity to do that.
The album concludes with Gethsemane. Bowman breaks it all the way down, and the song gives you the opportunity to reflect on the album as a whole. The main elements are here, with the guitar, the sax, and those airy strings. Gethsemane is five minutes of smooth that will leave you wanting more.
Tim Bowman gives us some great music with Smooth Vibes Vol. 1. We can only hope that this is the first of a series of smooth vibes, because we can really get behind that.
The album is available through your favorite streaming service.