Julian Vaughn - Limitless (2015)

One of the most stylish and creative lead bassists of this wonderful time in C-jazz is the rising star Julian Vaughn whose fluid bass runs and compositions always seem to hit that special nerve in you that’s reserved for the smooth groove. Here on his latest released, Julian Vaughn CDLimitless, he continues to serve it up in abundance.

Bringing in a few luminaries from his Trippin N Rhythm/Cutmore Records family (saxmen Lebron and Darren Rahn, keyboardist Nicholas Cole, and flutist Althea Rene) along with saxmen Marcus Anderson and Elan Trotman, the bassist loads up with heavy grooves and romantic seductions.

The up-tempo but easy ridin’ lead track “Ride Along” firmly complements tracks like the energetic “Initiate” and calls a cool timeout for the fluid entrance of the more laid back romance-laden offering “All to Myself” and the mid-tempo R&Bish “Ecstacy.”

Vaughn’s wonderful tribute to the late great Wayman Tisdale shows how much of an impact the jovial and greatly talented Tisdale had on Vaughan.
We all love a great up-tempo jam, and Vaughn certainly offers his share here, but his skill with crafting slow- to mid-tempo tracks with tons of melody like the previously mentioned “All to Myself,” “I Will,” and “Say Yes” is equally as powerful and full of charm.

Here is a bassist who is doing it the right way…feeling the genre and the groove and how it moves him and his music to always strive for excellence. As the album title could imply, his potential is truly Limitless. – Ronald Jackson