Stay with Me

by Scott YanowAltoist Michael Lington, who is strongly influenced by David Sanborn, performs quite earnestly on this CD, putting honest feeling into the melodies and creating lightly grooving, mildly funky background music. His smooth sound is pleasing, but there is little beyond that to recommend this disc or to distinguish it from dozens of similar sets (perhaps if Lington actually chose to wander away from one of the melodies, or if he had hired a rhythm section that displayed some personality...). It is no coincidence that all of the selections clock in between three and a half and four and a half minutes, for radio airplay is the main goal of this release rather than self-expression or the need to create something new. Fans of Sanborn's sound who desire to hear a lighter variation will enjoy this set.