Marcello Carelli: First Impressions

There is no sophomore slump on First Impressions, which is the second recording by the splendid young drummer Marcello Carelli's quartet/trio. It is one on which he not only anchors the rhythm section but also wrote nine of the studio date's ten bright and engaging tunes.

If a musician can be appraised by the company he keeps, Carelli's status there is sky-high, as the quartet consists of award-winning tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer and pianist Russell Ferrante (who once formed one-half of the Yellowjackets quartet) along with first-call bassist Mike Gurrola. As supporting casts go, this one merits any award you would care to name.

Even so, they would be hard-pressed to earn their stripes if the music set before them were not handsome enough to summon forth their best effort. Luckily, Carelli takes care of that part of the equation, offering stout and sunny themes that are strong on melody, harmony and rhythm, as is the album's lone outlier, Joe Henderson's melodious "Recorda Me." Carelli's drums serve as a seductive introduction and insistent counterpoint on his charming "I Can See the Glimmer."

Mintzer, whose robust and expressive tenor enriches any session in which he takes part, sits out on four numbers, leaving matters there in the trio's capable hands with no discernible absence of eloquence or insight, owing in large measure to Ferrante's uncommon skills as a soloist and the rhythmic aptitude of Gurrola and Carelli, who never miss a beat.

Carelli's compositions are straight-down-the-middle mainstream but with enough verve and variety to avoid any hint of being dull or shopworn. He opens "Ahead of the Curve" (in this case a sinuous barn-burner), then sets abut "Navigating the Maze" (sans Mintzer), tries "Parting Ways" and momentarily "Plays It Cool" before sampling some delicious "Noodles and Potatoes" and saving the intriguing "First Impressions" for last. Although Carelli moves front and center infrequently, he makes every solo count, as does Gurrola, with splendid turns on the soulful "Parting Ways," playful "Wanna Bounce?" and rhythmic "Play It Cool."

The first (and abiding) impression here is that Carelli is a remarkable timekeeper who shows great promise as a composer and arranger as well. As for the album, it certainly does not hurt the cause to have sidemen as proficient and perceptive as Mintzer, Ferrante and Gurrola on the team, as their work is consistently pleasing and indelible, and their excellence is reflected in its overall rating.