The Bob Thompson Band, “Look Beyond the Rain” (Blue Canoe Records)
"On his first album since 2010’s “Smile,” pianist Thompson radiates the same grace and elegance he displays as the centerpiece of the Mountain Stage Band, a position he’s held since 1991. Thompson doesn’t make music-snob jazz that’s easier to admire than it is to love; instead, “Look Beyond the Rain” focuses on warmth, emotion and the kind of effortless-sounding melodicism that connects immediately with whoever’s listening. That doesn’t mean he’s lacking in chops — check out the way he locks in tight with Doug Payne’s sax on “Hot Shot” or his inventive soloing on “Time 2 B One” — it just means that technique is secondary to sentiment on these 10 tracks. His band proves flexible enough to move smoothly between light funk, stately balladry and up-tempo workouts, thanks in part to the polished grooves created by drummer Tim Courts and bassist John Inghram (whose own group, Slugfest, has just released its own first album)." - Spotlight West Virginia Magazine
