Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jimmy Bruno: Maplewood Avenue

279

Jimmy Bruno: Maplewood Avenue

By

Sign in to view read count
Jimmy Bruno: Maplewood Avenue
What is it about Philadelphia boxers and musicians? And I'm not talking about Rocky Balboa, he's fictional, rather Joe Frazier and Bernard Hopkins. No one in their right mind would get in the ring with Sonny Liston. Same with musicians, some of the baddest players one could find in late night "cutting contests were Joe Venuti, Philly Joe Jones, Grover Washington Jr. and, while not born in Philly, both Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane can be claimed as sons.

Another Philly musician, Jimmy Bruno has ruled the city for the past twenty years, scorching guitar lines whenever and seemingly wherever. After a stint with Buddy Rich's band, he settled back in Philadelphia and began a series of recording for Concord records. Where his previous output focused on his burning chops, Maplewood Avenue strives for a more visceral yet laid-back sound.

Bruno's trio, sans piano and drums, is a stripped-down sound featuring vibraphonist Tony Miceli and bassist Jeff Pedras. Recorded in a very old-school style as a live trio, with no effects or overdubs, the sound delivers a mid-1960s Prestige or Blue Note feel.

With the composing credits spread out between the trio members, the quiet swing of Bruno's title track gives way to Pedras' "Easton Street Bossa, a bossa nova that features Miceli's twinkling vibes backed by the very gentle playing of Bruno and Pedras. Rare is it for these three to turn to the frenetic. Their intensity is played out in a chamber swing manner. It is only on the aptly named "Jimmy's House that the trio favors speed over swing, and even this track holds something back, in a Tal Farlow/Barney Kessel kind of way.

The trio saunters a groovy blues, "She's A Fox, and strolls the lovely ballad "Song For Meg before they take on Johann Sebastian Bach's intricate "Bach Sonata Trio as the signature piece of the recording.

Track Listing

Maplewood Avenue; Easton Street Bossa; PA Turnpike; Route 611; Upstairs For Coffee; Song For Meg; Jimmy

Personnel

Jimmy Bruno
guitar

Jimmy Bruno: guitar; Tony Miceli: vibraphone; Jeff Pedras: bass.

Album information

Title: Maplewood Avenue | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Affiliated Artists, LLC

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.