It's a Mystery is an enchanting album of contemporary instrumental music. Lorraine Rousseau plays flute with a sweetly romantic flair, while husband Robert Carlton plays various guitars. Smooth jazz flavors waft through each track, offering a decidedly upbeat album with irresistible melodies. Rousseau and Carlton are joined by a world-class group of musicians playing keyboards, sax, bass, drums and percussion. Co-produced with Emmy award winner Jim Morgan, It's a Mystery is becoming popular across Canada, the United States and Europe.

The alto sax of Vernon Dorge lights up From Now On, which includes hammond organ, fretless bass, keyboards, drums and percussion. A perfect accompaniment to watching the sunset with your sweetie, From Now On is a soothing yet sensuous antidote to the stresses of a busy day. The title track features Rousseau's spectacular talent on the flute, along with Carlton's acoustic and electric guitar work. Sax, bass, keyboards, light drums and percussion come together in a delightfully memorable melody.

Angel's Kiss slows things way down, with Rousseau's goldenflute carrying the lyrical, endearing melody. Given the musicianship, great compositions and production values, it's no wonder that It's a Mystery is being heard in millions of homes around the world.
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This is a remarkably enjoyable and mature recording. For the most part it is self-composed by the duo, and this combined with their individual musical adeptness, has manifest an album that bristles with engaging, evocative and pristine tracks. Lorraine's primary instrument is flute, whilst Robert explores the nuances of various guitars and the art of programming. The music itself moves freely between the genres of relaxation, adult contemporary and light jazz. The latter is perfectly expressed through the charming Forever You, with its sensual rhythm, sparkling flute overlay and jazzy keyboard interludes. Following on is From Now On which build upon the light jazz of its predecessor and adds a twist of funk and soft rock. Penned by Robert and saxophonist V. Dorge, the track becomes a vehicle for both alto sax and keyboards. 

The result is one of the most polished and immediately accessible compositions of the genre. Likewise, the title track, It's a Mystery emerges as a delectable sonic ride through engaging melodies with minimal, but highly effective, arrangements. 

Actually, the arrangements on all tracks are of a high calibre and contribute to the overall appeal of It's a Mystery. Into the Night superbly completes the light jazz lineup with some exquisite guitar work from Carlton. Again, it's polished, well recorded, arranged and contains enough nuances and interludes to engage one's interest. However the hight point of the album comes with the second track So in Love - it's simple but potent melody and gentle rendering is like a musical caress, as is "Tender Touch" which is even more minimal yet pretty in its countenance. 

Really, the album compares with, and actually outclasses, many similar releases found on such heavy weight labels as Higher Octave Music, Hearts of Space and Windham Hill. It's a Mystery deserves to be a huge success for this Canadian label, and for the duo who have so beautifully woven their magic.
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A CD filled with easy-going and engaging music. One of the musical genres that gets slighted a lot is adult contemporary instrumental music. This CD from Lorraine Rousseau and Robert Carlton is an exceptional example of "commercial" (that is, accessible and radio-friendly) music done with warmth, sincerity and tons of talent.The music on It's A Mystery includes songs of various tempos and emotional moods (from cheerful to a little funky to sweetly romantic) and all of it is so well-done that to fault this recording because it's in the wrong genre (i.e. it's smooth jazz/AC) is narrow-minded in the extreme. If all smooth jazz and AC music were as good as the songs on this recording, I would hope it would be played everywhere. It's A Mystery is so much better than most of what passes for "music" in this genre that I have no problem recommending it highly. If you're looking for great sunny afternoon music or a CD to play for dinner guests, this is the ticket right here!
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You can't help but feel you are taking a musical journey through a world of unique sounds when you listen to Rousseau and Carlton's new release, It's a Mystery. The emotion you get from the CD is like jumping into a sea of tranquility and cooling off from a hot summer day with lush melodies, thoughtful interpretations and compelling compositions. The CD is perfect for any mood. New Age and Contemporary Jazz music lovers alike will enjoy the album, as it has something for both tastes. Rousseau and Carlton are indeed the next Tingstad and Rumbel or Speer and Lanz in terms of how well they compliment each others playing. The chemistry between them just works. Be sure to check out the tracks From Now On, Your Sweet Smile and So In Love.
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