Joey DeFrancesco
"Joey DeFrancesco's Goodfellas"
(Concord)
Here it is, three young Italian jazzmeisters playing the music that they grew up hearing when they went over to grandma's for Sunday dinner. We're talkin' Sinatra here. Sinatra, Vic Damone, Louis Prima, Dean Martin and Jerry Vale, if you get my drift. In case you didn't know, Joey DeFrancesco is another one of those great Philadelphia organ players (Hammond B-3, naturally) who swings like crazy. Besides that, the man has played with Miles Davis as well as gifted guitarists like John McLaughlin, Jimmy Bruno and the late Danny Gatton. On this recording, DeFrancesco is joined by guitarist Frank Vignola and drummer Joe Ascione. These three groove through tunes like "Fly Me To The Moon," "Young At Heart" and even "Volare." With DeFrancesco wailing on B-3 and Vignola churning out the hot licks on his electric guitar while Ascione is kicking it underneath -- Mama Mia! -- that's some spicy jazz cooking. There are all sorts of tributes here, the trio does "Speak Softly Love," "Malafemmena," a tune called "Whack 'Em" and another one entitled 'Goodfellas." Need I say more? These guys obviously love all those "Mafia" films with actors like Bobby DiNiro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, and who can blame them? Did I mention they do a killer version of "O Solo Mio" and even add a little Italian soul to Thelonious Monk's "Evidence?" This stuff is the real deal and not a novelty album, so feel free to buy a copy for your Godfather.
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.