Mike Smith - Traveler (CD)

All Music Guide

Alto saxophonist Mike Smith has gradually moved away from doing primarily Cannonball Adderley repertory and concentrated on his own hard bop originals with a modicum of fusion and Afro-Latin influence. The 10 tracks on Smith's most recent date include five of his own compositions, plus other numbers contributed by drummer Bob Rummage, Wayne Shorter ("Witch Hunt") and Antonio Carlos Jobim ("If You Ever Come To Me"). Where on earlier releases Smith often phrased and articulated almost exactly like Adderley, his lines, phrasing, statements, solo construction and overall approach are now fully his own. These songs vary from introspective works to energetic numbers, but lean toward lush and lightly swinging material.

- Ron Wynn, All Music Guide