The Rippingtons - Black Diamond (1997)

During the mid-'80s to the mid-'90s, the "smooth jazz" or "adult-alternative" sound has been the fastest growing format in radio, and the Rippingtons, who released their first album in 1986, have grown right along with it. However smooth this format may be, it has very little to do with jazz. It's essentially easy-listening pop instrumentals, and the Rippingtons have prospered within the genre thanks to the pleasant melodies, breezy rhythms, and unobtrusive solos conjured up by guitarist/keyboardist Russ Freeman, the founder, composer, arranger, producer, and only unchanging member of the group. Freeman celebrated the Rippingtons' 10th anniversary with the band's 10th album, Black Diamond.

Track listing
04:46 Black Diamond
06:16 Deep Powder
05:06 Seven Nights In Rome
04:40 Soul Seeker
05:41 In Another Life
04:23 Big Sky
03:38 If I Owned The World
04:12 North Peak
04:13 Angelfire
05:05 Jewel Thieves
04:10 Black Diamond (Acoustic Version)