Solid, Swinging, Enjoyable Hard-Bop - 4.5 stars
John Tapscott | Canada | 07/28/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Joe Maganarelli is a solid, swinging, hard-bop trumpeter whose nicely shaped solo lines tell a very enjoyable musical story. "Persistence", Joe's first CD for Reservoir, reflects his musical personality perfectly. The music on this CD is generally straight ahead and straight forward, but with enough twists and turns to grab and hold the listener's attention. The program comprises three standards and five orginals by Magnarelli whose writing is just as interesting as his trumpet playing.
The CD has a nice balance of swingers and ballads along with a "groove" track, the aptly named "D Train Boogaloo." Other fine tracks include the hard swinging opening track, "Persist;" the bossa nova based, "The Village"; the loping "Haunted Heart," and the nicely voiced, lyrical "Ballad for Barretto". Magnarelli and baritonist Gary Smulyan make a very compatible front-line throughout the CD and both really show their chops on the romping "You and the Night and the Music." A couple of choruses of simultaneous improvising by trumpet and baritone on this track may be the the musical high point of the CD. Certainly it is the most exciting.
The rhythm section of David Hazeltine, Peter Washington and Kenny Washington is first-class. These men know the hard-bop language perfectly and play with taste and class. Hazeltine's fluent and slighly understated solos are a special delight. Peter Washington's bass is well featured on the arrangement of "Soul Sister", Magnarelli's refreshing take on "Body and Soul."
Joe Magnarelli's "Persistence" may not burn you with scorching hard bop heat, but it will defintely warm and uplift your heart. This superbly recorded 57 minute CD is highly recommended to fans of straight-ahead hard bop."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1