Russ Freeman probably had no clue that he was starting a revolu-
                        tion when he put together a new band called the Rippingtons in 1986,
                        but the advent of  smooth jazz can be directly traced to the release
                        of that band’s debut  Moonlighting  album the  following year.  Some
                        jazz  purists may  never  forgive him for that,  but Freeman and the
                        group,  having  weathered numerous  personnel  changes,  still reign
                        within the genre and have every reason to celebrate. Hence this 20th
                        Anniversary  CD/DVD  package,  which  finds Freeman,  the guitarist/
                        keyboardist who has been the  sole mainstay  throughout the decades,
                        calling on a virtual army of past and  present members to assist him
                        in creating a fitting monument  to his  accomplishments. The legions
                        who’ve  followed  the  Rippingtons  will know  what to  expect here:
                        impeccably performed,  perfectly enjoyable, occasionally stimulating
                        pop-jazz  without  an out-of-place  atonal  squawk or honk in sight.
                        What  makes  20th  Anniversary a  standout is the  parade of guests,
                        among  them most of the  Moonlighting crew  (except, thankfully, for
                        Kenny G.) -- pianist David Benoit, drummer Tony Morales, saxophonist
                        Brandon  Fields,  and  percussionist  Steve Reid ----  and  visiting
                        saxophonists  Dave Koz  and Kirk Whalum,  both of whom  bring  their
                        distinctive wails to Freeman’s  compositions.  Although the album is
                        largely instrumental,  a few vocalists,  including Patti Austin  and
                        Jeffrey Osborne, take turns, and Brian McKnight has virtually all of
                        the track "Anything" to himself, save for Freeman’s classical guitar.
                        It is, in the end, Freeman’s guitar work that remains the main draw,
                        though:  technically  proficient,  he  always  manages  to  bring an
                        emotionalism, albeit sometimes muted, to the proceedings, even if he
                        sometimes  seems as  if he’s  aching to break out  and try something
                        truly  daring  and never  quite does.  One oddball moment: track 11,
                        simply titled "A 20th Anniversary Bonus,"  suddenly and inexplicably
                        morphs  into the  Spinners’ ’70s R&B hit  "I’ll Be  Around," sung by
                        Osborne,  before the CD  closes out.  A separate  retrospective  DVD
                        accompanies the audio disc.

                            The Rippingtons: Russ Freeman (acoustic guitar, electric guitar,
                        keyboards, bass guitar);  Eric Marienthal (saxophone);  Bill Heller
                        (keyboards);  Kim Stone  (bass guitar);  Dave Karasony  (drums).
                        Additional personnel: Brian McKnight (vocals, various instruments);
                        Jeffrey Osborne, Patti Austin (vocals).

                                          01 City Of Angels
                                          02 Celebrate
                                          03 Costa Del Sol
                                          04 Bingo Jingo
                                          05 Eternity
                                          06 Six Four
                                          07 Rainbow
                                          08 Twenty
                                          09 Anything
                                          10 A Kiss Under The Moonlight
                                          11 A 20th Anniversary Bonus