March 1999

Jimmy Stewart
Memorabilia
J-Bird

By Nancy Ann Lee

A veteran L.A. studio musician, versatile guitarist Jimmy Stewart displays his melody-based style on this 11-tune mixture. Seven contemporary jazz tracks (best is the enticing Carlos Santana tune, "Love Is You") precede the more rewarding tracks that feature Stewart's comfortable and conversant playing on his originals—a quintet bopper, a guitar-piano duet with David Benoit, a Wes Montgomery-inspired quartet number, and a warm-toned version of Bobby Womack's "Breezin'."