Offering up a fresh and exhilarating vibe with his full length debut Nothing Between Us, trumpeter and composer Sam Hankins draws on a powerhouse resume as a music educator and R&B/jazz sideman that includes multiple awards as a middle school Band Director and performances with numerous legendary artists, including Al Jarreau, Clark Terry, The O’Jays, The Temptations, The Dells, The Impressions, Aretha Franklin and the Glenn Miller Big Band.

multi talented

Armed with an impressive array of degrees and multi-faceted musical credentials, the multi talented Oklahoma born and raised, Chicago based musician is widely recognized in educational circles for his tenure as Band Director at Edison Middle School, where he led numerous ensembles from 1995 through 2006.

Hankins’ Earth, Wind & Fire influence is front and center on the high energy “See Me”, who’s bright brassy horns accent and provide a dynamic foundation for a playful lead trumpet melody all over a cutting edge funk groove.

The trumpeter chills out and takes the tempo down a few notches on the sweet and romantic “I Can Be”, a vocal ballad sung by his brother Marcellus Hankins.

The groove kicks back up only slightly on the sensual, light funk driven “Soft Touch,” whose 70s styled soul textures give way to a more 80s styled synth jam energy on the bass driven “Reach For Me”.

The track features a playful interaction between Hankins’ dancing trumpet melody and the synthesized grooves.

He ventures into brassy gospel territory (complete with textured vocals) on the jangling funk explosion “Give It A Try” before moving into more hypnotic, lyrical territory on the easygoing, crunch groove driven “Where Am I.”

Some infectious wah-wah guitar and old school synth bounce adds flavor to the horn-splashed funk of “You Should Have”.

Hankins moves from old school to contemporary hip-hop on the final track “Get Back Step Back”, whose dramatic orchestral intro gives way to bouncy hip-hop with street signs and a spirited anthem-like rap.