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Serious grooves with occasional boring interludes. Should be 3 stars not 5 Apr 07, 2009
I was going through my music and happened on Solar System. I still play it regularly after all these years. I looked around to see what Chris Standring and Rodney Lee were up to. I saw that the both have been productive and although both have more recent stuff I decided to try this CD. I like a lot of different types of music but in general what is generally called "smooth jazz" bores me to distraction. I remember David Sanborn and Kenney G saying years ago it is not jazz at all, but instrumental pop music. And that is when they both were funky. I like this album as he is a very good guitar player, Rodney Lee plays very strong keyboards and there are some serious grooves on this recording. The bass player is also kickin'. Several tunes are outright funky. Richard Elliot plays some sax and was able to recall some of his Tower of Power days. I hope Chris has kept the funk alive and not gone the way of so many into the soporific fluff many people seem to want to call jazz.
 This is Good!!! May 08, 2008
I stumbled upon Chris Standring's Hip Sway as an Amazon recommendation while scoping out another CD. I listened to a few of his samples & decided to take a chance. Needless to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed this CD. I play it at work ALL the time. Standring's cover of the Bee Gees "How Deep Is Your Love" is very interesting.. Standring made the song his own with his riffs, yet he kept that 70s groove. "What Is Is," sounds like it could have been on a Roy Ayers album from the 70s. Not to mention the title is a tongue in cheek play on President Clinton's scandal with Monica Lewinsky. Believe me there's no scandal with Hip Sway, it's just plain good music.....
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Smooth Jazz Rocks! Jan 08, 2005
If u're into smooth jazz, acid jazz, jazz-rap, or jazz hip-hop I will say you must recommend this album 2 those that dislike the changing and sounding of contemporary smooth jazz. Yeah I know everybody doesn't like Rap, Pop, or Hip-Hop or whateva to be added into smooth jazz. I don't care but I like Rap and Hip-Hop 'specially Pop too. This is the one I found most interesting since I heard some of his latest cuts off his 3rd CD. This is a classic 2 date 'specially Chris Standring is probably known 2day as the next Ronny Jordan, Grover Washington, Norman Brown, George Duke, George Benson, or whateva. Have gave 2 shots of it at first but now I'm ready 2 go pick it up once it's still available. And 'specially I recommend this along with Groovalicious and Velvet (which I heard recently) and check out Ronny Jordan, Guru, Us3, Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Digable Planets, The Rebirth of Cool collection, Roy Hargrove, D'Angelo, Common, Brand New Heavies that created this jazz-rap genre I would say.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Hip Sway - Way Cool - Cool Jazz Nov 20, 2002
If you like smooth jazz half as much as I do, this album definitely belongs in your collection. If your plans this evening include kicking back in your favorite reading chair with your feet up and the lights down low, grab a good book and crack open that bottle of Cab Sav Shiraz! Chillin' and Hip Sway: what a great combo.
Smooth Jazz Vibes May 20, 2000
English guitarist Chris Standring (who made his mark on Rick Braun's Body & Soul and was named 1998 debut artist of the year by Art Good's JazzTrax) turned heads with his first CD, Velvet, which featured one of the best and most unique smooth jazz songs of recent years with the title track. The CD was classic - no filler - and was packed with hooks galore, great melodies and the kind of guitar sound that drew fans of George Benson, Lee Ritenour, Brian Tarquin, Brian Hughes and others. His latest CD, Hip Sway (Instinct) matches his debut, which set the bar high. No sophomore jinx here. Listen to the killer hook in the title track (enhanced by Richard Elliot's sax) and just try not to be swept away by Standring's lyricism.Like Hughes and Grant Geissman, Standring has a thing for joyous '60s sounds, mixing groovy with today's acid-jazz sensibility - check out "Glamour Girls," the wah-wah and keyboards in "Big Feet ... Big Shoes" and the Sly Stone funky guitar in "Pins & Needles." There are two covers of classics: "How Deep is Your Love" begins with a Muzak feel, but eventually gets into gear with Standring's riffs and great percussion. "I'm Not in Love" is similar. There are some tasty cuts here, especially "Good Medicine" and "Smile," both so delicious, so catchy, so smooth. "Ultraviolet" is the "Velvet" of this CD, the song that stands apart for its innovation. Standring dubs in an acoustic guitar refrain over his electric playing (very Pat Metheny-like on this cut), while Rodney Lee's fast "drum freaking" propels the song forward. The CD closes with "Georgina," a ballad with drum brushes. Smooth grade: A+
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