REUNION is a US soul and jazz group. At its core are music biz vets guitarist MIKE SUNJKA and keyboardist RICKY HERNANDEZ. They came together (after a 40 year long separation) during the various Covid lockdowns, they say, just to keep busy . The duo re-found plenty of mutual musical respect and decided to record an album and when it came to naming their “new” band, given the above, it was a no-brainer. It had to be Reunion!
The pair’s album has just won release and ‘The River’ is a classy smooth jazz 7 tracker. Reunion’s “smooth” however is never “lite” or bland. The sound shows a perfect coming together of two like minds betraying their years in the business playing with people like Kirk Whalum, The Fifth Dimension and Billy Eckstine. Indeed the music on ‘The River’ echoes people like Wes Montgomery and George Benson, even Jimmy Smith and Brother Jack McDuff.
Right now focus cuts are the tough ‘Oh Please’ , the laid-back ‘Beacon Street’ and the pulsing ‘ Is This Love’ which really does capture the spirit of classic soul-jazz.
REUNION’S ‘The River’ is out now via Apple Music. Spotify and other streaming services.
