Roger Cairns has a grand set of songs presented on A Scot in L.A. The CD is strong and confident from its early notes to the very end. It's a pleasure to listen to even if jazz and swing aren't your usual fare. Martin and Sinatra would have met a strong contender had these guys peaked at the same time.

This Scottish-born singer has found a pocket of music that he fills very well at this time, though his past includes blues, jazz-rock and the Robert Burns Prize for singing Scottish songs when he was 12.

Musicians on this new CD send the music right to your soul. Gary Fukushima's piano controls a lot of the show in a masterful and delightful way.

The slow songs are full of life and magic. It's a well-heeled example of how amazing music (sax, bass, drums and the one-time bagpipe) and vocals are put together to bring out the best of everyone for a special moment of creation.

This music is not what's usually spinning around on my player but the music and Cairns' voice is so cool that I forget to punch into the next track because I'm really enjoying the whole experience of this CD. It's a musical treasure beyond the ordinary.

[ visit the artist's website ]