Slim Man is the musical alter ego of Tim Camponeschi who, in addition to a solo career that dates back to 1995, has been an integral member of the Baltimore based hip and funky group Bona Fide since its formation in 1999. This mellow vocalist and former Motown songwriter, whose style lies somewhere between adult contemporary and smooth jazz, views his latest release, ‘Solstice’, as both a return and a departure. Although taking him back to the studio where he recorded his very first CD, ‘End Of The Rainbow’, it also allows him to visit fertile new ground where, thanks mainly to the contribution of Marc Antoine, his newly developed taste for a guitar-based Latin vibe is very evident.
With Slim Man taking the production credits and writing nine of the eleven tunes this project is very much his own work. The two exceptions are his versions of the modern day standard ‘If I Were A Carpenter’ and the Nik Kershaw hit ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’ but, truth to tell, he is always at his best when interpreting his own material. The Latin aroma that permeates much of the album is particularly fragrant on guitar driven tracks like ‘Secrets Of The Heart’ and ‘Amore’ but he also captures a smooth jazz groove with the shuffling ‘Just Another Day’ and the laid back yet jazzy ‘Listen To The Wind’ on which Matt Cappy excels on trumpet.
The reflective ‘Summers Almost Gone’ opens up the opportunity for Kevin Levi to play smooth sax and, even with the Latin tinged and smoky ‘Everytime It Rains’, romance is never too far from everything that Slim Man touches. A case in point is the picture perfect romantic ballad ‘Every Now And Then’. It has the ability to tug at the heartstrings and when, on songs like ‘Never Surrender’ and the mildly funky ‘Face The Truth’, Slim Man reaches for an edgier vibe he still bestows that same heart felt quality.
‘Solstice’ is an album that has combined to perfection the twin qualities of romance and groove. As such it is a different yet welcome addition to the crop of new music from contemporary jazz vocalists.
For more on Slim Man go to www.slimman.com