The Champ: Round 2 is the second volume of
Joey DeFrancesco's tribute to mentor and Hammond B3 groove master
Jimmy Smith. While 1999's
The Champ was an entertaining and honorable tribute,
Round 2 produces only patchy rewards even with the swinging camaraderie provided by guitarist
Paul Bollenback and drummer
Byron Landham. Compared to the first volume in which the initial freshness of the idea was more palatable,
Round 2 suffers from slight stagnation (two versions of "The Champ" on this disc!) for the same reason. Following the late-'90s studio releases of
The Champ, Goodfellas, and the live set Incredible, three discs that rely mainly on standards and jazz classics, this disc is ultimately disappointing, finding
DeFrancesco repeating challenges we have already heard him acheive. ~ Al Campbell