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Richie Vitale Quintet Featuring Ralph Lalama: Shake It!
But the tunes that attend to the melody and are lyrical will catch and hold the ear of most listeners like a dreamy rendering of "Blame It on My Youth". Vitale stays well within the middle register and on or near the beat. No screeching here. That debts are owed to the Art Farmer, Miles Davis and Chet Baker school of brass playing is evident. With his muted horn in hand Vitale comes close to Miles Davis' aloofness on Jeff Morrison's "Silhouette". Lalama shows he has a gentle side on this cut. Vitale's interest in music from the Broadway stage is revealed by "Small World", which comes close to being a classical brass quintet performance, and "I Believe in You" from Gypsy. Vitale played in the pit band for that show. He also gained important experience on his way to becoming a solid lyrical player as a member of the band backing Frank Sinatra, sitting in the trumpet section which included the mellifluous horn of one Harry "Sweets" Edison. Vitale's association with Thad Jones is why "Evol Deklaw Ni" - "Love Walked" in backwards - is on the musical roster.
Qualified only by those couple of cuts which were conspicuous by their deviation from the album's norm, this is a fine effort and is highly recommended. Visit Richie's Internet home at www.richievitale.com.
Track Listing
Shake It!; Small World; I Believe in You; Blame It on My Youth; Hara; Evol Deklaw - Love Walked In; Jive Rhumba; I Hadn't Anyone Till You; Silhouette
Personnel
Richie Vitale
trumpetRichie Vitale - Trumpet/Fluegelhorn; Ralph LaLama - Tenor Sax; Tardo Hammer - Piano; Phillippe Aerts - Bass; Taro Okamoto - Drums
Album information
Title: Shake It! | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: TCB Music