• Digital release on Apple iTunes (2005)
• Original Release Date: May, 1999

Personnel

• Rob Mullins - Piano, Keyboards, Composer, Producer, Main Performer
  
• Greg Vail - Sax
• Scott Cannady - Bass
• Morris O'Connor - Guitar
• Kevin Ricard - Percussion
• Lamont Peoples - Drums
• All Songs Published (c) 1999 by Rob Mullins Publishing (BMI)

Track Listing

01    Summer Song
02    Newport Attitude
03    Night On The Town
04    So In Love With You
05    Set Yourself Free
06    She's Too Cool
07    The Barrio
08    Mirille
09    Uh Huh
10    Can't Let Go

Reviews

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Jonathan Widran in Jazziz Magazine and All Music Guide

"Long one of smooth jazz's most underrated pianists, Rob Mullins has quietly worked up a catalog of indie releases with tunes long on melody and groove innovations, rivaling most of the classics of David Benoit. Launching his own label with a similarly likeable collection that lives up to its title, Mullins does exactly what he's always done best—mix things up between powerful ballads, jumpy funk tunes and anywhere possible, colorful and aggressive jazz improvisations.

Joyful Noyz doesn't go quite as crazy in this direction as his last disc, Dance For The New World, but there's still more than enough genre busting to go around. Any other smooth jazzer naming a tune "Summer Song" would go predictable and mellow; Mullins joins with featured saxman Greg Vail for a powerful romp that is part soul, part Latin and even features an eyepopping solo that smacks of boogie woogie. "Newport Attitude" is the obvious radio single, a fiery bit of sax-driven passion that could be a Rippingtons cut if not for the generous acoustic solo Mullins rewards us with. The keyboardist definitely has more fun bouncing off the walls—as he does on the brisk samba "The Barrio, " featuring the lead melody on Fender Rhodes—but "So In Love With You" shows he's a romantic at heart. Another standout is "She's Too Cool, " another light funk/jazz improv attitude piece featuring Morris O'Connor's crisp electric guitar."

AOL JAZZ FEATURE: In the studio with Rob Mullins Band

June 1999
by Tina D.-AOL JAZZ ROOM REPORTER

"For those of you who enjoy hearing Rob play live with his band, this album is a dream come true. This album represents an amazing accomplishment by an artist who has more guts than anyone I've ever seen in the music industry. The songs you are listening to were recorded in ONE session that lasted six hours-while a video crew climbed over and under and between all the musicians as the songs were being played and recorded.

"Since we were being filmed, and the album was recorded in a TV studio with a limited amount of time, we didn't even have a chance to listen to the playbacks on this one" said Rob after the recording was completed. "This was a situation that required real professionals to pull off... mostly because in this kind of recording situation, there is no fixing any mistakes. If someone messes up, you go back to the beginning of the song and start over, which we did a few times" he added. Talk about pressure. No listening to playbacks. TV crew climbing all over. No fixing any mistakes later. Everything on video. 53 minutes of music, live. Ten new songs, rehearsed twice. To show up for that folks, takes guts.

"I've done so much performing over the years, I wasn't really nervous about this one, in fact, I was too tired to be nervous, since I had found out that we had the funding for the project only a week before the recording was supposed to take place" Rob said. I wrote this album in two days, except for the song 'Mirille', which I wrote in 1998. The other nine songs were brand new" he added.

I got a tape of the songs from Rob a couple of weeks prior to release of this project, which was titled "Newport Attitude" on the box. The material was strong, and I felt refreshed knowing that Rob had used a live six-piece band on this project because I was getting really tired of hearing drum loops on the Smooth Jazz Stations. Something was missing in most of the music on radio. Then I realized what I have always liked the most about Rob, his tremendous energy level when performing and recording... the power of his music was energizing, uplifting, and strong. I felt that on this tape that I got in advance, and I knew that it was a hit with me.

Six great musicians are featured on this recording. On sax is a long time associate and friend of Rob's that is no stranger to the contemporary jazz world: Greg Vail. Greg had played sax on Rob's "Dance for the New World" album, and he was really sounding strong on "Bustin' Out", which was my second most favorite song from "Dance", next to "House of Broken Dreams" which always made me sad, but happy at the same time when I heard it. Anyway, Greg's sax work on this live project is simply amazing... his tenor is deep, powerful, and strong, his soprano is sweet and sexy, and his alto just blows the roof off the place on "Summer Song" which is the first song on the new album.

On drums is a guy that Rob truly loves- Lamont Peoples. I remember emailing Rob many times over the past couple of years, and how excited he got when Lamont came on board. "A drummer who doesn't want to take a solo, how can this be?" Rob had said. "A guy who is the groove, and nothing but the groove, who has no attitude problems.. .how can this be?" Rob joked with me. Lamont really did do a wonderful job on this project, which is his first recording. Congrats Lamont, you've arrived babe.

On bass, Scott Cannady became a last minute part of this project when the bass player who had committed to doing the recording backed out two weeks before the recording date. "Scott's vibe and style was a very natural blend with Lamont's in-the-pocket style of drumming" Rob said. "And his solos were soulful, groovin', and still had that wild element to them at times" Rob added. Scott has recorded and performed with "Pieces of a Dream", and just returned from touring with Jeffrey Osborne at the time of this writing.

Percussion Kevin Ricard was a great addition to the project, and is was a natural since Rob and Kevin had been filming Brandy's TV show "Moesha" together the month before, and Rob was quick to call Kevin to play on this one after he knew what the budget was going to be. "I was really glad to have the money to do a six piece band this time, and Kevin was about adding to the groove, not all that bells and whistles mindless toy slinging that many of the percussionists are doing these days" Rob said.

Morris O'Connor is a huge addition to Rob's band on this album, and he mastered the knack of staying out of the way of Rob's extra full piano and keys sounds with ease. "There's a reason that there are no guitar players on my albums's " Rob said, smiling. "Most of them just don't get the principle of my band which is: its not about you, its not about me, its about the SONGS we are playing" he added. Rob must have really been impressed with Morris because he gave him a feature guitar song, which sounds a lot to me like Rob's buddy who passed away recently: Zachary Breaux. You'll find that song as track number six. Its called "She's Too Cool."

As the years pass by, its great watching Rob and his music get better and better. This album will rock your socks off, and will be the sonic background for your memories in 1999. Congratulations, and enjoy "Joyful Noyz."

LISTEN/PURCHASE: Available through SPOTIFY APPLE AMAZON

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