John Randall Pelosi: Plus Ultra

I know people who have never heard a single song by a given musical artist, but love or hate them just the same. Read a few People Magazine articles, maybe skim a review in the Sunday New York Times and oops now you have an opinion about someone’s music. I do the same with movies, catch the preview, read a couple reviews and ta-da, I can hold up my end of the conversation at any cocktail party. Consumers no longer have to do the dirty work of consuming entertainment. This doesn’t explain all those dorks who lined up to see the latest Star Wars movie. When it comes to creative music (he now whispers improvisational) many have an opinion without even listening. Suppose you are not familiar with the artist and the band isn’t Wynton and Co., you might try the new millennial way, download an MP3 and give it a listen while checking out soiledunderwear.com. “I laughed, I cried, I then played Super Mario.” Forget the deep, lasting experience. O.K., for all you attention-deficit consumers here’s your soundbite review of saxophonist John Randall Pelosi, a Chapel Hill, North Carolina native; He’s Sonny Rollins meets the Lounge Lizards as channeled through David Murray. Read no further because Pelosi is developing his own voice. WARNING: something that takes repeated visits to get a taste for and WARNING his voice is not fully developed. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed this recording, because some slick producer hasn’t convinced him to do a Petula Clark tribute record.

Track List:Li Nostro Cavallo; Solenoid; Presuming Ed; Boneyard Crow; Violet Skin, I-IV; Ballade; Aquaviva; Cloud 1/44; Walker; Ilex; Moths Asleep; Bakalite; Lucky; The Pinecone.

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