The latest release from Tommaso
Starace is Tommaso
Starace - The Power of Three
and it is one of Tommaso's best. The release was recorded in a large open venue
without the use of headphones, which allowed the band to hear and feel the raw
energy they were crafting. The ‘a cappella' type setting created a big resonant
sound that cascades throughout the release. The band takes the baseline of 7
covers and then projects their own feel and music sense to create renditions
that will have you touting the release with other music aficionados.
Tommaso
Starace - The Power of Three
The Power of Three:
Lighting Up The Candles, Del Sasser, This
Here, Got A Match?, Nina, Once Upon a Time in America, Brazilian Like, Segment,
Napule é
Personnel:
Tommaso Starace: alto and soprano
saxophones, Jim
Watson: piano,
Laurence Cottle:
bass
Tommaso
Starace - The Power of Three was recorded at Chapel Arts Gallery
in Cheltenham, UK and released on Music Center. The choice of venue for the
recording session allowed the instruments "a big resonant sound and a more ‘a cappella'
style," which is opposite of the result if recorded in a studio setting that
tends to produce a drier sound requiring enhancement through the mixing
process.
The
release contains tracks from various genres, different composers, music from
past to present, and an original track, Nina, from Tommaso Starace.
The
release opens with the beautiful track, Lighting Up The Candles from
Stevie Wonder. This track sets the tone for the compilation as the power trio
each takes their turn with their interpretation of this classic song
culminating in a recorded time of 10:12 (the original track was 4:11). Tommaso
initiates the improvisational interpretation with his saxophone rendition,
which is a perfect complement in tone and phrasing. The track segues to the
piano's "view" follow by the bass' improvisational section; the track wraps up
with saxophone lead and a solid baseline.
The
next track is the classic jazz song, Del Sasser, by Sam Jones that has
been covered numerous times, and like the first track, other musicians have
adjusted the length of the track to allow for some creative improvisational
rendering. The Power of Three paid their respects to the song as they took the original
recording of 4:47 and let themselves get into the moment yielding a catchy, bouncy,
and swinging 8:04 cover. The next track, This Here, by Bobby Timmons, is
driven by the keyboard mastery of Bobby Timmons. The Power of Three used their
creative talents leaning on the fingers of Jim Watson to improv the lead
segment paving the way to Tommaso's sassy sax then each member had their turn
layering in their tool resulting in an extended 5:44 cover.
With
the track, Got A Match?, by Chick Corea, the band took a different tack
with their cover. Chick Corea's original version is a powerful and fast paced transition
through the fingers of Chick Corea, while The Power of Three starts off slow
and builds up to the bass and then the sax being the foils for the pace and
powerful transitions of the song. The next track, an original song Nina,
which Tommaso dedicates to his five-year-old niece Nina, is a poignant song that
fits nicely with the total compilation.
The
Charlie Parker song, Segment, is captured in direct essence by Tommaso
on saxophone and rounded out by the compelling baseline from the piano and
bass. The band plays with the transitions as each member gives their feel to
the song.
The
cover of the Italian ballad Napule é takes on a different perspective as
the original track's string work is taken over by Tommaso's saxophone while the
powerful lyrics are handled by the strings of the bass in the hands of Laurence
Cottle.
Other
tracks on this imaginative and fervent release are One Upon a Time in
America (Ennio Morricone) and Brazilian Like (Michel Petrucciani)
with both tracks allowing The Power of Three to stretch their chops as they add
in almost three additional engaging minutes to each track.
This
is truly a masterpiece of music interpretation and coupled with the open-air
venue created a "live / jam session" performance. As Tommaso says, "what you
hear is what we played," so definitely give this release a listen.
Websites
where you can procure Tommaso Starace -
The Power of Three: iMusic, FYE, and Amazon.
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March 2021. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.
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