Rippingtons "Wild Card"

Rippingtons "Wild Card"

album cover

Rippingtons
Wild Card
The Story
Lovers of Latin jazz and the sultry Cuban-American salsa that Miami is famous for, let loose and rejoice! The Rippingtons, with dancing shoes on, percussion and horns simmering and flamenco guitars blazing, are heading for South Beach and getting wild, inviting fans worldwide to draw a "Wild Card", the latest instant classic by the contemporary jazz supergroup on Peak Records. Ripps founder, leader and sonic architect Russ Freeman dove joyfully into Latin waters on the 2000 Top Ten hit "Life In The Tropics", but this time he's going even deeper and more authentically exotic, with sizzling guest vocals by charismatic Cuban American superstar singers Willy Chirino and Albita. The diverse 13 track collection - the most ever on a Rippingtons studio recording - showcases Freeman's magnificent classical guitar playing. "Wild Card" also includes a beautiful guest vocal by R&B legend Chante Moore, (a lush update of "Until You Come Back To Me"), and eight tracks of the powerhouse Jerry Hey horn section.
The Music
04:20 Gypsy Eyes Instrumental
03:57 Wild Card Instrumental
04:47 El Vacilon Vocal
05:04 Paradise Instrumental
04:15 Spanish Girl Instrumental
04:08 Mulata De Mi Amor Vocal
03:52 Moonlight Instrumental
04:00 Till You Come Back To Me Vocal
04:11 Lay It Down Instrumental
04:10 King Of Hearts Instrumental
03:57 Into You Instrumental
03:56 Mulata De Mi Amor Instrumental
04:15 In The End Instrumental
The Artists
Russ Freeman Guitars, Keyboards, Rhythm Programming, Production, Executive Production, Arrangements
Bill Heller Keyboards, Acoustic Piano
David Karasony Drums
Kim Stone Bass
Scott Breadman Percussion
Eric Marienthal Saxophones
Albita Vocals on "El Vacilon"
WIlly Chirino Vocals and Background Vocals on "Muleta De Mi Amor"
Chante Moore Vocals and Background Vocals on "Til You Come Back To Me"
Raul Pacheco Background Vocals on "El Vacilon"
Asdrubal Sierra Background Vocals on "El Vacilon"
Sheffer Bruton Background Vocals on "El Vacilon"
Jerry Hey Trumpet
Gary Grant Trumpet
Bill Riechenbach Trombone
Lloyd Talbot Arrangement
Ralph Sutton Arrangement
Steve Sykes Engineering, Mixing
Doc Wiley Engineering
Marko Ruffalo Engineering
Hatch Inagaki Engineering
Andi Howard Executive Production
Mark Wexler Executive Production
Steve Sykes Associate Production
Bill Mayer Illustration
Sonny Medina Art Direction
Carl Studna Photography
Recorded and mixed at Castle Oaks Recording, Calabasas, CA.

Additional recording at Latinum Music Studios, Miami, and Surfboard Studio, Boca Raton.