Lynn Blessing

There’s nothing offensive about Lynn Blessing’s Sunset Painter, a mellow collection of pop interpretations by way of the vibraphone. Blessing was a session player known for his contribution to 1969’s Advancement LP. This record, featuring instrumental covers of songs from Lennon/McCartney to Judee Sill, and a few originals, is more a mood piece than an outright opus, but it’s not your typical throwaway obscurity either. Compulsive reissue buyers will likely remove it from their CD towers more than once. The cover photo is as good a visual representation of the music as could be: Blessing, in full hippie/nerd regalia, staring out pensively into a grassy field behind a translucent rendering of his own face. Simply put, endearingly cheesy, with some real talent to underscore the novelty factor. Sunset Painter is not exactly a must-have but it’s certainly nice to have around. If you buy it on a whim, chances are you won’t sell it the next day. That might not sound like praise, but given the habits of most compulsive music consumers, it’s meaningful.