Twenty years after its original release, Russ Lorenson revisits A Little Travelin’ Music, that seasoned wisdom only time can bring. The jazz vocalist goes back to the source, rebuilding and refining portions of the album with richer arrangements and warmer instrumentation. A Little Travelin’ Music (20th Anniversary Edition) comes off timeless and freshly lived-in, like opening an old postcard and suddenly smelling the places it came from.
Lorenson has long been admired for his elegant phrasing and storyteller’s instinct, and those qualities shine brightly here. Over the years, especially through his touring tribute celebrating the life and music of Tony Bennett, Lorenson’s connection to the Great American Songbook has deepened considerably. You can hear that maturity all over this anniversary edition. The vocals settle comfortably inside the arrangements, letting every lyric breathe.
The opener, “Come Fly with Me/Let’s Get Away from It All,” immediately sweeps listeners into a glamorous jet-age fantasy. Rolling drums bounce underneath lush horn arrangements while Lorenson sings with warmth and easy charm about escaping routine for romance and adventure. From Peru to Niagara to Boston, the track glides from city to city with the effortless swagger of classic lounge jazz, carrying that old-school cocktail-hour sparkle.
Then there’s “The Air-Minded Executive,” one of the album’s most playful moments. The arrangement swings with a cheeky pulse while Lorenson leans fully into the song’s narrative humor, recounting the tale of a wealthy romantic hopping flights and chasing love. He sings conversationally, and that storytelling touch keeps the track endlessly engaging.
Toward the album’s close, “Home to Stay” shifts gears beautifully. Gentle piano flows beneath Lorenson’s softened baritone as he sings, “When every map is put away…” with quiet sincerity. After all the movement and wanderlust scattered throughout the record, the song lands like a peaceful exhale.
That’s the real triumph of A Little Travelin’ Music (20th Anniversary Edition). It isn’t merely revisiting the past — it’s reinhabiting it with grace, polish, and renewed emotional clarity.
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Review by: Naomi Joan