A pair of sounds from the Latin Quarter…
Exciting and percolating pulses are produced by the Dominican Jazz Project, boasting of a mix of drums, percussion and basses galloping under post bop horns along with passionate vocals. David Almengod brings earthy voice along with Rahsaan Barber’s tenor sax and Stephen Anderson’s piano on “Ritmos de Bani” while Carlos Ruis serenades in the plaza accompanied by Anderson’s accordion and his own guitar strings on the tender “Como Un Rayo Ciego” and “Una Mas”. There’s a rotating team of bassists, with some hip electric work by Ramon Vazquez leading into the sizzling “Pero Aun No es el Fin” with Craig Butterfield’s acoustic strings pulsating under Sandy Gabriel’s tenor on the modern sounding “Sin Palabras”. More sizzling than fried peppers and onions.
I used to live in Rome back in 80-81, and got hooked on the pop music there. It’s an acquired taste, as Italians like cramming as many lyrics into a song as possible, here, the team of vocalist Ninni Bruschetta and pianist/percussionist/arranger Cettina are joined by Dario Cecchini/reeds, Dario Rosciglione/b, Mimmo Campanale/dr and an occasional string section. Bruschetta is more of a baritone speaker than an actual singer, going artsy on the poppish “Le Sicialiane”, conversing over the urgent strings on the funky “Amico Fragile”, leathered on the parlor-mooded “Ninna Nanna” and best of all, reflective on a glorious duet with Donato on “Vorrei Nuotare”. The moods are mostly late night melancholy, most evident on the late knighted “Amore Segreto” with Donato’s piano in a blue tone. After hours in the the dark piazza.