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jazzobserver.com review of Jim Rotondi “Blues for Brother Ray”….

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Jim Rotondi
Blues for Brother Ray (Posi-Tone)
www.jimrotondi.com

Rating: ★★★½☆

This tribute to the late great Ray Charles brims with love and drips with soul. Rotondi’s rep as a post-bop trumpeter can obscure his rich credentials in the soul-jazz arena — he cut his teeth in Charles’ big band — and while he doesn’t try to imitate that iconic sound here, the spirit of Charles’s music easily merges with his own. Working with a cast of long-time familiars, Rotondi breezes through seven prime cuts from Charles’ repertoire and one catchy original by organist Mike LeDonne. But while the solos are lively and fetching — particularly in the leader’s swooping, firm-toned runs and guitarist Peter Bernstein’s cool bluesy glide, there’s a forced stiffness in some of the rhythms that undermines their charm, marching rather than swinging along. A couple more greasy jams like the on-target “Lonely Avenue” wouldn’t have hurt.

 

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Written by editor

January 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 am

Posted in Reviews

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