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Whenever by Paul Ricci

From the album

Album Title: The Path
Label: Origin Records
Released: 2026

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About the Album

The Path began long ago in New York City for guitarist Paul Ricci. He knew he wanted to put together an album with some of the wide-ranging, high-level artists he'd been working with to interpret the grooving, multi-cultural music he was envisioning. That it would take 29 years, 17 collaborators, and a whole lot of living—including an extended move to Brazil—for it to come to fruition was not what he had in mind! Going in the studio in 1997 with Anthony Jackson, Steve Jordan, Michael Wolff, Manolo Badrena, Randy Brecker and numerous musicians from Brazil, Uruguay, Cameroon and Mali, they created most of the album, later inviting in many new voices who he'd become acquainted with in the intervening years to complete the recording in 2021. The Path was long and winding, but tunes like "Lobo," with the soaring vocals of Malian singer Abdoulaye Diabaté dancing amidst Ricci's high-flying guitar phrasing, on a bed of rhythms created from the rich musical cultures of 3 different continents, can argue that it was a journey well worth taking.

Tracks

Major Look; Whenever; Lobo; Sleeping Beauty; Around the Block; September Glide; Down on 6th St.

Personnel

Paul Ricci

guitar, electric

Additional Personnel

Michael Wolff: electric piano; Hugo Fattoruso: piano, organ, clavinet, and candombe percussion; André Mehmari: Fender Rhodes; Anthony Jackson: contrabass guitar; Steve Jordan: drums; Jojo Kuo: drums; Rogerio Boccato: drums and percussion; Jurim Moreira: drums; Manolo Badrena: percussion; Valtinho Anastácio: percussion; Ramon Echegeray: candombe percussion; Arturo Prendez: candombe percussion; Alex Foster: soprano sax; Abdoulaye Diabaté: vocals; Jay Rodriguez Sierra: soprano sax; Randy Brecker: flugelhorn.

Date featured

February 10, 2026

This song appears by permission of the contributing artist and/or record company. It is for personal use only; no other rights are granted or implied.