Guitarist Vinny Raniolo is better known for his collaborations with fellow six stringers Frank Vignola and Tommy Emmanuel, but once in a while he goes out on his own, with this duet album with bassist Elias Bailey, gorgeously displaying his taste and charms.
The tunes are all based on themes of flying, so you get material ranging from “Airmail Special” to John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” All of the material is well crafted, with an inherent swing to it, as “Come Fly With Me” is cheerfully laden and “Stardust” glisten’s like a spring night. A couple of obscurities keep things interesting, such as Cole Porter’s “Let’s Fly Away” and the pre-WWI ditty “Come Josephine in My Flying Machine,” with Raniolo letting the simple beauty of the melody do the work and allowing his rich tone deliver a bel canto aria of each lyric. Simple, unassuming and like the best of Italian chefs, trusting in the basic ingredients to do their work without having to overpower the flavor with extra spices.