@tony-adamo
<p> </p><div class="inset"><p>Rating: Four out of Five</p><p>Vocalist Tony Adamo’s new CD, What Is Hip?, is a funkified and deeply rhythmic locked affair with some of the best musicians of the day. Put together by master guitarist and producer Jerry Stucker, this horn-laden album reminds one of the early days of Tower Of Power (TOP) brought up to date by modern sensibilities. Some of the big names assisting Adamo include master drummer Steve Gadd, percussionist and Headhunter Bill Summers, trumpeters Mic Gillette, Henry Hung, and Eddie Henderson, as well as TOP bari saxophone soul man Stephen “Doc” Kupka and keyboardist Rodney Franklin.<br />For those unfamiliar with funk and soul the easiest comparison of this album would be with some of the early work of Boz Scaggs when he was wrapping his vocals within bluesy soul-infected wraps. Add some tastefully arranged horn backgrounds courtesy of Mic Gillette, and the result is sublime excellence.<br />While funk and rarified soul like this will have a tough time reaching the airwaves, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fantastic recording. The “What Is Hip?” TOP remake is given a bluesy and smoothly swinging turn that features some excellent electric trumpet work by the great jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson. On “Ecstasy” Neil Larsen’s organ playing is top-notch and Rodney Franklin’s keyboard work on “Rhythm Of Your Love” is incredible.<br />Throughout the recording Stucker’s guitar is ever present as a featured color. His work is angled at finding the right mode of expression as opposed to showing off his chops. Finding just the right notes at the right time, Stucker keeps things tightly bolted down and firmly rooted in the groove. This is shown nowhere better than on “Ecstasy” where his lines float and punctuate Adamo’s vocals in pure precision.<br />Adamo’s voice is perfectly suited each of the tracks, both those he wrote with Stucker and the covers. With a rich baritone timbre, Adamo sincerely gets inside the lyrics as opposed to just singing them. Working within the arrangements, as opposed to singing on top of them, Adamo does more than feel the phrase, he becomes them.</p><p>While there are a few missteps, like the cover of “Eleanor Rigby” which is too sly, Adamo hits it out of the park on “Cold Duck Time (Groove On Line)” and “Make Me A Memory.” For lovers of music not aimed being aimed for 14 year-olds, this is about as excellent a recording as you will find and well worth searching out <a href="http://jazztimes.com/community/articles/28779-tony-adamo-reviewed-by-jazzreview-com">http://jazztimes.com/community/articles/28779-tony-adamo-reviewed-by-jazzreview-com</a></p></div>
<br /> <em>A Review By: Sandy Shore, smoothjazz.com</em><br /> TONY ADAMO Straight Up Deal Urbanzone Records - GETS FIVE STARS<br />www.myspace.com/tonyrocadamo<br /> <br /> For those who haven't experienced it...there's a mystique to the San Francisco bay area at night. It's unique to the 'City by the Bay.' Over the years many artists have captured this vibrant, earthy electricity and stuck it in the middle of their music regardless of genre.<br /> <br /> Santana, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Tower of Power come to mind...and a whole handful of jazz greats. Bay area singer/songwriter Tony Adamo fits perfectly in this fray with his deep, sultry, commanding voice and grasp for groove. Think Lou Reed but funkified. Tony began writing during his tour of duty in the Gulf War (the first one). The 15-hour workdays were exhausting, but the artist found the exotic scenery enticing and incorporated his poetry writing skills into song ideas by writing about the desert. A poet at heart, Tony Adamo presents some beautiful originals here. He writes with his long time collaborator Jerry Stucker who is also responsible for producing Tony's recordings. Jerry actually has an original on this recording as well, a cool sensual tune called "<em>Midnight Cafe</em>." Another Adamo/Stucker original is the anthem to Tower of Power's Doc Kupka (who is featured on bari sax) <em>"Groove Therapy."</em> You'll also find some really intriguing covers such as "<em>In The Winelight</em>," the late Joe Zawinul's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and the Miles Davis penned <em>"Milestones."</em> First call musicians are on board making for a sonically stellar recording including Ernie Watts, Paul Jackson, James Gadson and Neil Larsen. STRAIGHT UP DEAL is just that!<br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Tony Adamo Reviewed by L.A. Jazz Scene’s Jim Santella<br /> UrbanzoneRecords<br /> Franki La Mantia</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">www.myspace.com/tonyrocadamo<br /> <br /> <br /> Pop songs with R&B horns make Tony Adamo’s STRAIGHT UP DEAL sizzle with excitement. He sings with the bold character of a man who knows how to entertain, recalling pop singers Tom Jones, David Clayton-Thomas and Brook Benton as well as jazz singers Al Jarreau and Mark Murphy. His program, however, goes well beyond the pop and R&B arena into Jazz interpretations of standards such as “Milestones,” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” ”Stolen Moments,” “In the WineLight,” and “Speak Low.”<br /> <span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The band, which includes horns with guitars, bass, keyboards and drums, gives Adamo a solid foundation from which he wails soulfully. <span> </span>Several guests help to make the session come alive: trumpeter Eddie Henderson, tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, guitarist Jerry Stucker, baritone saxophonist Doc Kupka, and alto saxophonist Melecio Magdaluyo.<br /> <span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Adamo swings up front on “Hey Lou” with persuasive jazz-talk, settles down for “Autumn Leaves” with a straightforward ballad approach, curls up with “ Lolita” in a romantic way, croons “Speak Low” with a delightful spin, cries “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” with funk dreams on his mind, and creates a lovely program rich in the jazz tradition and fun to be with.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jim Santella, L.A Jazz Scene – 12-1-08<br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--></p>
