Chill
Omnivore, 2024
8/10
The legendary vocalist Lenny Williams joined Tower Of Power in 1972 and made 2 well received albums with the band before going to back to his solo career. After seeing much success in the ‘70s and ‘80s, his 1994 album, Chill, continued his success and has been out of print on CD for 3 decades- until now.
The title track is placed in the lead off position, where Williams’ soulful pipes are met with Greg Gonaway’s crisp drums and programming from Ira Walker for the timeless R&B flavor, and “Baby, You Caught My Eye” follows with Louis Biancaniello playing all instruments in the melodic and groove filled climate.
Halfway through, the dreamy “Driftin’” welcomes Felton Pilate’s multi-instrumental skills that complements Williams’ strong range of intimacy, while the heartfelt “Has Anybody Seen My Heart” showcases Tim Bell’s soft backing vocals and Sitar from Preston Glass for the powerful and cozy album highlight.
Further along, “Sentimental” benefits from Larry Bastiste’s fluid keys, as Williams’ highly expressive singing draws us in to the emotive mood, and “There’s No Hiding Place” exits with Mike Mani performing all instruments, which touches on hip-hop ideas, too.
This updated version comes with remastering, updated artwork and new liner notes from producer and journalist Kevin L. Goins. Williams is still active today, having released a new album this decade, and this gem from the ‘90s still sounds great 30 years later.
Travels well with: Jackson Browne- Downhill From Everywhere; The Mighty Clouds Of You- Kickin’