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"If there is any drawback to being a successful and busy school band director and sideman, it's not having enough time to let the simmering inner artist out. Though these other demands and commitments ensured that Sam Hankins would take a while to find his voice as a solo artist, the good news is that he's drawing on a lot of diverse life and musical experiences as he emerges as a visionary trumpeter and composer. One of the most dynamic and powerful indie breakout releases of the year, Nothing Between Us keeps Hankins' dazzling, inventive and super melodic trumpet front and center while the grooves and textures takes the listener in a whirlwind back to the ultra cool 70s and 80s via retro textures and back into the cutting edge of the present day. Although making a solo album was on Hankins' bucket list for a long time, he guarantees that it's more than just a brilliant one off; rather, it's the start of a new phase of his career at center stage that we can all enjoy and groove along to. A truly remarkable album from an artist of seemingly unlimited imagination!" --Jonathan Widran "Sam Hankins is an brilliant trumpeter who stretches himself within the genre of smooth jazz. His tone sometimes hints at Chuck Mangione while his solos are generally more explorative than that of Chris Botti and Rick Braun, even when he caresses melodies. On his latest CD, Nothing Between Us, Hankins plays all of the instruments in most cases, including several brass instruments, keyboards and percussion, taking an effective vocal on the love song "I Can Be." Throughout the project, Hankins displays the influences of R&B and funky jazz. He has a knack for coming up with memorable and catchy riffs and, like the late Grover Washington Jr, he is capable of playing lengthy solos over fairly simple backgrounds that never lose one's interest. His ten originals each have their moments. "Nothing Between Us" features some powerful trumpet playing. "See Me" finds Hankins playing muted a la Miles