Harmony with the harmonica…
Enrico Granafei sings a bit while playing chromatic harmonica with a mix and match unit of Claudio Roditi/fh, Mike Longo-Amina Figarova-Neil Alexander/key, Takashi Otsuka-Greg Jones-Christian Fabian/b, Gordon Lane-Sylvia Cuenca-Richie Morales/dr and Diego Lopoz-Annette Aguilar/perc through some originals and covers. His voice is romantic on “Medo De Amar” and the samba’d “Amico” and smooth as silk on “Calabrosa” while his harmonica breezes on the bossa “Claudinho” and pretty “It’s Hard To Say Goodbye” while giving tribute to master Toots Thielemans on “Bluesette”. A reggaed “Pia” and fusiony “What Goes Around Comes Around” adds extra color to the plate on this flowing bouquette.
Playing piano and chromatic harmonica, Neil Adler creates various permutations with Jeff Buenz/b, Akira Tana/dr and Carlitos Medrano/cong on a mix of originals and jazz standards. His piano is rich and fluid, glwoingon a solo “Bill Evans Medley” while in rich stride on “Century Rag”. His harmonica does a wild solo take of the bop classic “Donna Lee” while accompanied by keyboards is lyrical on a dreamy take of “The Peacocks”. He gives a classical piano into to a swaying “Besame Mucho” with a smooth hum on the harmonica on “Emi’s Song” wile building up to dramatic fashion on “Blues For McCoy” and hovering like a morning mist on “Tenderly/That’s All”. Sweet sighs.