This one's been a long time coming (2005) and should
be a nice addition to your summer jazz listening experience. Saxaphonist
Warren Hill releases his eleventh disc aptly named La
Dolce Vita. It is a nice mix of various flavors, a
little sax, a few vocals, and a great ensemble of musicians to back
him up. Nathan East, Paul Jackson, Jr., Greg Phillingaines, Ricky
Lawson, and Jeff Golub are just some of the artists brought on board
this time out.
He gets things going with a funky little number called "Mojo." This
one features Hill taking the listener higher and higher with a nice
little chorus that's both fun and infectious. The distinct Hill sound
is there, and you'll know right away who it is. This is a great way
to start the album. The title track follows right behind it. This
one's a little more laid back and features Hill in much the same
way as the opener did. Although having a soothing chorus, he still
works his chops in some of the passages as he moves up the scales
as only he can. "Sunshine" shows off Hill's singing ability
that so many of his fans have come to enjoy over the years. This
one has a nice rock like beat, and his voice comes across really
well. There's great guitar back up throughout and sounds like one
you could hear on the radio this year. I like the way the next one
starts off. "Daydreamer" uses some quirky percussion to
start it off which gives way to Warren's sax. His sax is constantly
moving the listener to a new place, much like you would be as you're
dreaming your day away. I think you're going to like this one.
The pace picks up for "Gimme Some." The approach is a
little more staccato and his horn sounds more layered than in previous
cuts. I can see this one as a great live one. He plays off of Golub's
guitar very well and builds as it goes. The Latin beat comes out
in "The Jive Samba." With its South Beach-inspired flavor,
there's still some room for great sax work. Hill flows through it
gracefully all while the calypso beat continues. You can feel the
heat off his horn as well as the song. The piano solo of Phillingaines
only adds to the mix. One of my favorites has to be the ode to a
great summer pastime. "Skinny Dippin" even starts off
with that seductive growl that leads to a playful bout from Warren.
There's a lot of movement here, and his playing is both bright and
refreshing (sort of like your favorite swimming hole on a summer
day). He takes this one to really nice highs and growls it right
on through to a nice ending.
"Warm Rain" makes you think of those summer afternoons
when the rain has set in for the day, and there's nothing better
to do than just curl up and listen to Mother Nature. This mid tempo
features some nice acoustic guitar that only adds to the "rain" effect.
The chorus repeats itself in such a way that you'll be humming it
later. His sax treads lightly for the most part only to crescendo
to more intensity as the rain tapers off. A great play on words catches
this samba-like melody called "Hill Be Jammin'." It's heavy
on the back beat, and is just plain fun. I'm sure you'll be hearing
this one on the concert trail this year. He's all over the place
with both the melody and chorus. The beat just keeps it fun and is
a nice vehicle to launch some great sax work from. Hang on for a
great ending! He rounds out the CD with the only cover tune
here. "Light My Fire" will bring back some good memories
of the first time you heard this classic. Warren always pulls in
a cover or two that he plays on tour, and I'm sure this was the case
here as well.
I know that a lot of his fans have been waiting awhile to get their
hands on this one, and they won't be disappointed. There is a little
bit here for everyone. This Canadian entertainer can light up a room
with his instrument and does so here as well. The additional musicians
fit in well and add to the mix. Be sure to check it out soon. |