Richie Quintet Vitale Shake It CD

Shake It! is horn man Richie Vitale's third album for the Swiss-based TCB label. Modernist sax player Ralph Lalama guests with a quintet that has international flavor sharing playing time with Vitale throughout. But Lalama's high powered, biting sax seems out of place on a CD that, for the most part, is devoted to the hushed side of jazz. In contrast, Vitale's horns never loses their cool, even on those semi-progressive cuts like "Hara." This nine-minute track features avant-garde-ish Lalama's chattering balanced by the pleasant discursive piano of Tardo Hammer. You can clearly hear that the lineage comes straight from the small bop groups of the 1950s and 1960s (those headed by Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard, and others). One gets the feeling that this tune was inserted to allow everyone to show their impressive technical prowess -- and that they do with ease and aplomb. But the tunes that attend to the melody and are lyrical will catch and hold the ear of most listeners, like dreamy rendering of "Blame It on My Youth." Vitale stays well within the middle register and on or near the beat. No screeching here. That debts are owed to the Art Farmer, Miles Davis and Chet Baker school of brass playing is evident. With his muted horn in hand, Vitale approaches Miles Davis' aloofness on Jeff Morrison's "Silhouette." Lalama shows he has a gentle side on this cut. Vitale's interest in music from the Broadway stage explains the presence of "Small World," which comes close to being a classical brass quintet performance, and "I Believe in You" from Gypsy. Vitale played in the pit band for that show. He also gained important experience in becoming a solid lyrical player as a member of the band backing Frank Sinatra, sitting in the trumpet section which included the mellifluous horn of one Harry "Sweets" Edison. Vitale's association with Thad Jones is why "Evol Deklaw Ni" -- "Love Walked In" backward -- is on the musical roster. Setting aside those couple of cuts which seemed conspicuous by their deviation from the album's norm, this is a fine effort and is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan

RichieVitale Biography Born in Rochester, New York on September 23 (also John Coltrane's birthday) Richard Vitale played with Miles Davis' drummer, Philly Joe Jones at the early age of sixteen. After locating to New York City, Richard has performed with such luminaries as Barry Harris, Sal Nistico, James Taylor, Tony Bennett, Sting, Joe Williams, Johnny Mathis and Joe Morello (long-time drummer with the Dave Brubeck Quartet). His experience with big bands has been no less impressive, performing as jazz soloist with none other than Ol' Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, and in the jazz chairs of the Buddy Rich Big Band, the Count Basie Orchestra, the Duke Ellington orchestra as well as the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band -- now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Richie has also taught Jazz Ensemble at LIU. Currently Richie is leading a twelve piece salsa band called Orquesta Universal featuring twice Grammy nominated Cuban born singer David Oquendo.Richard's first recording as a leader on the TCB label titled Dreamsville, featuring alto master Gary Bartz, was released to critical acclaim, it's Jazz Journal reviewer hailing it as "a veritable treat from start to finish."He has led his quintet on tours of Japan and Korea, recently performed in Lebanon, plays San Francisco and LA and frequently appears in clubs throughout the New York Metropolitan area. His second CD for TCB records, was recorded Live at Smalls in the heart of New York City. Jazz writer Peter Collins remarks, "The whole performance can be called spirited -- a word that would be apt as well to describe Richard Vitale, his remarkable musical talents, and this splendid disk." This year the new release of Richie's third CD can be heard on TCB Records. Pete Malenverni says, of Richie's new release Shake It!, "Throughout, one hears that this is a band used to playing together, a group of eminently ski