Denis DiBlasio/Dave Mancini: Salt Peanuts
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Salt
Peanuts [CD]
Salt Peanuts is a brand new compact disc on a relatively brand new label. Denis DiBlasio and Dave Mancini have enjoyed prolific careers in jazz education and performance for well over twenty years. Both Denis and Dave are clinicians for the Yamaha Corporation. Mancini is an alumnus of the Eastman School of Music and the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra while DiBlasio is an alumnus of the University of Miami and a former Musical Director with Maynard's band. Currently, Denis DiBlasio is Director of Jazz Studies at Rowan University. It was with the Ferguson group that DiBlasio and Mancini found musical commonalties and similar philosophies on jazz education. They have been working on various projects ever since whether it be teaming up a jazz festivals, music camps or in the recording studio.
The concept behind Salt Peanuts was to record pure jazz. As Dave Mancini put it, "Our goal was to capture the energy and spontaneity of a jam session. All the tunes were record live to four tracks and mixed without overdubs or edits. This recording id deliberately not a high tech productions; our goal was to imitate the sound of older jazz recordings and to capture a live concert experience rather than a polished studio sound. Most of the tunes were recorded in one take, without predetermined arrangements."
Six jazz standards and two Denis DiBlasio originals make up this fifty-eight minute cooking session. DiBlasio can be heard on his trademark baritone saxophone along with cameos on flute and scat vocals. The group is rounded out with Biff Hannon on piano, Frank Pullara on bass and of course our co-leader on drum set.
The disc gets underway with a workout on the popular jam session tune Secret Love. The tempo hovers around 310 beats per minute. Great stuff! Summertime is a relaxing (by comparison) vehicle for DiBlasio's whimsical flute work. Biff Hannon contributes a very tasty history lesson in jazz piano on this one. Mancini and Bassist Frank Pullara lock in beautifully as if they were related. (Note from label: They are.)
A twinkling Biff Hannon introduction sets up a tender baritone saxophone reading of When I Fall In Love. You really get the feeling that you're in a nightclub on this one. A calyspso-esque groove permeates a trio rendition of Cole Porter's What Is This Thing Called Love. Pullara and Mancini slip into a straight-ahead groove during DiBlasio's solo. Pullara and Mancini each grab a couple of intriguing choruses before they take it out. All Nighter is a happy Latin tune performed slightly faster than andante.
A trio version of Dizzy Gillespie's Salt Peanuts burns at about 340 beats per minute as you may have expected. This assault on rhythm changes takes us in quite a number of directions. Denis explores the altissimo register in a way that reminiscent of Hamiet Bluiett. Denis and Dave do some trading that is dynamite. DiBlasio give us a sample of his scat technique as well.
DiBlasio's bossa nova Sarah finds the composer on flute. Biff Hannon plays a great solo leaving you wanting more. Frank Pullara contributes a wonderful statement too. The Miles Davis line, The Theme closes out the disc in a fine fashion.
Denis DiBlasio and Dave Mancini have reached and surpassed their goals on this project. Each member of the ensemble plays in a non-pretentious way. In fact, that reckless abandon otherwise known as creative expression really makes you feel like you were there, at the session. Enjoy the chemistry and the spontaneity of this latest Denis DiBlasio/Dave Mancini collaboration! To order this compact disc contact Sons of Sound Productions at 212-929-8944.
Jim Mair
Saxophone Journal May/June 2001 p.52
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