Pat Senatore: Groovin' in Rome

At the start of his recording career in 1961, bassist Pat Senatore played in Stan Kenton 's band, both on the road and in the studio. You'll find him on Adventures in Standards and Adventures in Jazz for Capitol. In 1962, Pat joined Les Brown's band and played on TV shows. Then in early 1965, Herb Alpert, whose Tijuana Brass's albums had became massive hits, called. He was forming band to tour the music. The Wrecking Crew had been doing much of the studio recording up until then. Pat was with the group for five years and on the road worldwide.

In the early 1980s, Pat joined arranger Weaver Copeland's Feather, a wonderful smooth-jazz, vocal-harmony group that's little known today (I'll post about them down the road). In the late 1980s, there were two wonderful albums recorded by the VIP Trio (Pat with Cedar Walton on piano and Billy Higgins on drums). Other albums followed.

In 2012, Pat began recording for Fresh Sound. There were two beauties—Ascensione (2012) and Inspirations (2015). In 2017, Pat and his wife, Barbara, retired to Rome. Lucky guy. Last year, Pat recorded his latest album for Fresh Sound, Groovin' in Rome. He was joined by Dado Moroni on piano and Roberto Gatto on drums.

The trio is sensational. Even though too many of the songs are weary songbook standards, the trio brings enormous zeal and fresh life to each one of them. Dado is positively spectacular, Pat is in the pocket and Roberto adds sassy seasoning. A new VIP Trio is on the rise.

Here's Pat on bass with the Tijuana Brass listening back to Lollipops and Roses...