Will Sumner Album "Rivers" Review

Artist: Will Sumner

Album: Rivers

Released: 2025

Artist Website: https://www.willsumner.com/

Will Sumner returns to the scene with Rivers, an 8 song adult contemporary instrumental album featuring his compositional fingerprint and tasteful guitar playing throughout. This is his eleventh release and second on the Guitar One Records imprint. He has functioned primarily in the smooth jazz world, but that is only one side of his music. To call it smooth jazz does not encompass all that it is. It flirts with smooth jazz, but has far broader influences than just that. He is one of those artists that lives in the cracks between clearly defined genres. What is consistent is his subdued approach to his guitar playing. There is never a moment where he is showboating, but it is always clear that a well schooled virtuoso is at work.

Cocktails at Maguires is a track that embodies all things Will Sumner, memorable melodies, mature playing and seamless transitions. He is clearly a confident musician that is willing to take the backseat at times to let the others in his ensemble shine. The piano solo is the perfect splash of color in this electric guitar focused track, adding just enough contrast to the mix to be interesting without being overbearing.

The first single, Dawn Patrol is a mellow smoky piece that straddles that space between smooth and traditional jazz. It feels less "produced" than much of the music that dominates the smooth jazz airwaves these days, which is intended to be a compliment. The production and mix are still lush, but not over cooked. Instead of relying on a wall of drum loops, synth and pitch correction it sits comfortably in the skin of a well played song that doesn't need all the garnish to shine.

Mavericks is a cool shuffle that would be right at home on a Steely Dan record. The shuffle groove is one that just doesn't get enough play outside of the blues genre in this writer's opinion. Although it seemed to be a bit more prevalent in the early days of smooth jazz when there was a major station in every market playing the likes of David Sanborn, Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour. These musicians were at least a generation closer to where the music was born from and were defining the genre's boundaries, versus being restrained by them. This cut has some interesting turns that are anything but typical and it would've been a perfect fit into the playlist of early smooth jazz radio.

Sumner's approach is smooth jazz-ish, but to pigeonhole it as only smooth jazz is a disservice. Although it is clearly influenced by the genre it also embraces far more than just that. What is consistent throughout is impeccable taste. Restraint is the fingerprint of musical maturity. It is the understanding of knowing when to breathe that separates the men from the boys. It is true in every genre of instrumental music. Even in the instrumental rock world where chops are king, the cream of the crop show restraint. The blazing solo is an undeniable part of that genre, but the best have the restraint and maturity in their compositions. It is this understanding that is Sumner's biggest asset. It is his understated virtuosity that speaks far louder than screaming from the rooftops.