There is no doubt that
Tom Schuman, best known for his longtime association with
Spyro Gyra, is a talented keyboardist who could play creative and original music if he desired. There is also no doubt that the word "creative" has no place on
Deep Chill, a set of derivative, unimaginative, and simply dull jazzy dance music. One can certainly imagine
Ramsey Lewis performing the same commercial tracks 30 years earlier with more energy and originality. There are a few heated moments along the way with
Schuman showing traces of brilliance and saxophonist
Jeff Kashiwa adding a bit of soul to the music, but the throwaway R&B vocals by Angei, the obvious rhythms, and the unmemorable melodies make
Deep Chill an instant cutout. Everyone involved is capable of much better. ~ Scott Yanow