Smooth Jazz pioneers The Rippingtons new album, Modern Art, The band’s 18th album is available March 10th via Peak Records (Concord Music Group), and features founder Russ Freeman alongside Dave Karasony, Bill Heller, Rico Belled and Jeff Kashiwa. Also featured is special guest trumpeter Rick Braun. 　　Modern Art breaks new stylistic ground, incorporating exotic world music elements on the sensuously romantic, acoustic guitar driven “Paris Groove” and adds an Eastern authenticity to the hypnotic “Black Book” with an electric sitar. With the sizzling interaction between Freeman’s slow burning electric guitar and Kashiwa’s wild sax improvisations, the easy grooving “One Step Closer” and bluesy “Body Art” will remind longtime fans of the band’s glory days of the '90s, but with a souped up twist!