If you’ve been following Russ Freeman or The Rippingtons over the past quarter century, you know that the versatile guitarist/composer and Grammy nominee, as well as producer, has a long history of naming songs after exotic locations (Aruba and Kenya, Morocco Weekend in Monaco, Sahara). Freeman noticed in recent years that The Rippingtons have a growing fan base as long-time admirers pass on their love for the music to their kids. Freeman’s travels have inspired several Rippingtons albums. Together, they have been the soundtrack to hundreds of thousands of jazz lovers around the world for over a quarter-century. Freeman’s wanderlust was often evident in the titles of his hit Ripps albums, regardless of whether he actually visited the locations he described or just imagined them. These include Kilimanjaro and Tourist in Paradise. The Rippingtons celebrated 20 years of instrumental magic in 2006 with The Rippingtons’ 20th Anniversary CD/DVD. It featured a CD of all new Ripps songs and a DVD that featured a colorful retrospective along with exciting videos from the past. Russ Freeman, The Rippingtons and their fans are taken on the trip of a lifetime to Cote D’Azur in their new Peak Records album. Their jazz cat Bill Mayer, who graces the CD cover, is also traveling with them. Who knows what the next time around will bring? The journey continues with Freeman’s musical passport, which still has plenty of room to be stamped. from http://www.rippingtons.com
