Will Sumner - Reviews

For a guy who lives in San Diego County, guitarist Will Sumner keeps a pretty low profile. Our loss, because his new Christmas CD is one of the best holiday releases in a jazz vein in some time, with Sumner showing himself to be a stellar picker. Playing with a nice fat tone and a wonderful ear for improvising off the main theme, Sumner's nine-track set of holiday classics is solid enough that if you were making a mix tape of Christmas songs by jazz guitar greats, you could add tracks from here in among the Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass and they'd fit right in.

No surprises songwise: "Winter Wonderland," "Silver Bells," "O Come All Ye Faithful," etc. ---- Sumner playing all the guitar and keyboards, and yet the final mix sounds very fresh and organic and not at all overdone.

Guest vocalist Scott Woker sits in on "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts roasting ..."), and displays a warm, conversational singing style, with Rik Ogden providing a nice contrast on saxophone. And Sumner and pianist Sky Ladd just slay "O Christmas Tree," with Sumner's guitar lead bouncing along atop Ladd's comping on piano ---- until Ladd takes a chorus out front, and makes this critic wonder how it is that he's never heard of Sky Ladd.

Sumner may be a local, but you don't buy this CD to support local music ---- you buy this CD because you love jazz and the holidays, and this gives you the best of both worlds.

- North County Times, December 10, 2008

"Coast Drive" - There’s something about smooth jazz, palm trees and an ocean drive that feels so right. Guitarist Will Sumner synergizes all three in an independent release that harkens back to the very mellow smooth jazz popular a decade ago, before sampling, electronics and hip-hop crept into the scene.

Sumner, who also solos on sax and piano, alternates between acoustic and electric guitar and sounds positively Craig Chaquico-like on guitar synth songs such as “Out of the Woods” and the charming “Sunset Surf Jam.” Sumner establishes a theme early in his compositions, from mellow (“Coast Drive,” “Breathless” – the latter with some sweet piano synth/guitar answer and call), and tropical (the Latin-flavored “Todos Santos” and samba-ish “The Island Girl”), to up tempo rock (“Inside Job,” “Full Steam”).

Sumner really shines, though, on “Second Thoughts” ,where he stretches on the strings, soars with melodic piano and programs a shuffle rhythm to achieve melodic nirvana. Think Pat Metheny in a supremely relaxed mood.

- Smooth Jazz Magazine

"A leader in the Fusion Jazz explosion in the Twin Cities, Sumner has gained a lot of attention for composing the music for last year's well-received, locally made movie "The Personals" and for producing an album that has also received critical praise."

- Minneapolis Tribune

2003 Smoothie Award

for #12 most played independent CD!

Awarded By SmoothJazz

"Equatorial splendor," says the Minneapolis Reader of Will Sumner's first album "Tropic Zone". His second release, Desde Mi Corazon, is that and more. Sumner has combined the talents of past group members ... to create an album that sometimes burns with tropical energy and other times soothes like a cool twilight breeze.

Great guitar work, primarily acoustic and some electric, killer keyboard solos and driving percussion make up this fine CD that will enrapture and inspire you. All in all, Will Sumner's Desde Mi Corazon is delicious. Try it.

Off Shore - Will Sumner : Sumner is not only an accomplished guitarist but is also well versed on piano and violin. Coast Drive is now his third release, and perhaps finest to date. From that undertaking we'll be hearing the breezy and optimistic Off Shore.

- Jazz Lynx, Cafe Jazz Radio