Gerard
Carelli
Lucky To Be Me
There's
something timeless about crooning. I call it beauty. Making
sad songs beautiful has long been the domain of the vocal-jazz
ensemble, and Gerard Carelli has opened a shop on Main Street
with his latest release, Lucky to Be Me. Featuring
excellent arrangements, solid instrumentals, and a time-tested
mix of show tunes and jazz standards, this record consistently
delivers memorable and inspired renditions of jazz and pop
classics.
The
album has plenty of hug-and-sway, from the closing-time shuffle
of "It Never Entered My Mind" to the elegant title
track, featuring pianist/arranger John Oddo. In fact, every
track features Oddo's arrangements, allowing each instrument
to shine. Percussionist James Saporito highlights the Latin-jazz
"So In Love," accenting the brash horns and subdued
saxophone with equal skill. The original composition "Well
Worth Waiting For" is an aptly titled modern waltz, taking
jazz to the threes with an Elizabethan grace.
There's
no denying the great instrumental skill and inspiration of
this collection, but the vocals are not quite up to par. Carelli's
weakness is the relatively shallow timbre of his voice, especially
in tunes that are otherwise reminiscent of crooning's deities.
The well-arranged accompaniment of "New York, New York"
is lost as one ponders the firmly contralto vocals and winders,
"Where's Frankie?"
He's
gone, but the music and the legacy live on.
Dante Murphy
Visit
the band at www.1800gcsings.com
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