While featured as a trumpet, Vince Tampio takes two albums to show the width and breath of his musical world, composing material in which he also plays synthesizer, acoustic guitar, bass and percussion for some experimental and electric music, whle teaming up with a tight quintet for some vintage sounding post bop. Take your pick, or both!
For one disc, Tampio teams with Ben Diamond, who plays bongos, congos, shakers, tablas and other pieces of percussion while he mixes guitars and other electronic paraphernalia on a synthy and soft “Sonic Ember.” Other times, the mood gets a bit funky with staccato’d horn on “L.T.” and with an electric guitar groove gets hip on “Simery.” The two create dramatic sounds akin to a film noir soundtrack during “Sound Plan” making for a big band for two. Intriguing.
For the second album, Tampio assembles a band with John Swana/vtb, Ben Basile/b, Brian Blaker/ts, Charlie Heim/dr and John B Hedges/p for a collection of originals as well as a cool toned reading of “Dear Old Stockholm.” The horns form a lyrical front line with the warm “Dangerous Cucumber” with Tampio delivering warm and long tones on a relaxed ¾ “Fresco.” Heim rumbles with Hedges on a hip bopper of “The Nook” with Tampio teaming with Swana for rich tones on “Split Orange Graffiti.” Rich tones.