The first volume of
GRP's
Larry Carlton Collection takes the listener from the beginning of his solo career up to 1990. Starting off with one cut from his first
Warner Bros. album,
Larry Carlton, the collection goes on to include two tracks each from
Sleepwalk and
Friends, two each from the acoustic guitar albums
Alone/But Never Alone and
Discovery, and one from
On Solid Ground. In addition, the CD throws in two then-new tracks,
"Small Town Girl" and
"For Heaven's Sake" -- pleasant melodic pieces with acoustic guitar lead, nothing extraordinary. Along the way, you'll hear some very catchy tunes long identified with
Carlton (
"Smiles and Smiles to Go," "High Steppin'," and
"Minute by Minute"), a mellower rendition of
"Nite Crawler" than the version he recorded as a
Crusader, and the relaxed, funky
"Bubble Shuffle." For some changes of pace, there is an affectionate tribute to the
surf sounds from near his hometown of Torrance (
"Sleepwalk"), and one harder-edged number,
"Blues for TJ," that finds
Carlton crossing swords with
B.B. King virtually as an equal. Mostly, though, this is ingratiating
smooth jazz that very often transcends the conventions of the idiom. ~ Richard S. Ginell
