GARY BRUNOTTE - MANIC MOMENTS (2007)

Organ, Piano, Accordion & Vocal - Gary (all tracks)
Drums - Bill Berg (all tracks)
Guitar - Scott Sawyer (all tracks)
Electric Bass - Damon Brown (tracks 2,5,8,10)
Acoustic Bass - John Simonetti (tracks 4,9)
Trumpet/Fluegel - Jim Ketch (tracks 2,5,9
Tenor Sax - Glen Ingram (tracks 2,5,8)
Alto Sax - Gregg Gelb (tracks 2,5,8)
Durham Children's Choir - Scott Hill (track 11)

1 Mas Que Nada

2 Manic Moments

3 Agua De Beber

4 You & the Night & the Music

5 Bridgemix

6 That's All

7 The Peacocks

8 Chickish Tinge

9 Sometime

10 Slightly Blued

11 Mas Que Nada (Unplugged)

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Review by Paul J. Youngman - KJA Advocate for WWW.VINILEMANIA.NET

Gary Brunotte is primarily an organist, at least on the recording Manic Moments and he does an admirable job of keeping the album interesting through the use of his blues heavy organ styling. The CD features eleven tracks, five of them are Brunotte originals and one song “Mas Que Nada” a Jorge Ben composition is repeated, closing the recording with a short unplugged version of this Brazilian classic. The other songs on the album, originals and non-originals mix it up, adding a standard jazz flavour as in “You & The Night & The Music,” a funk groove for “Bridgemix” composed by Brunotte and the Jimmy Rowles tune, “The Peacocks” a melancholy ballad, that are all brought together by the rhythm section and especially drummer Bill Berg whose drumming, has an inspired Latin groove. The song “Agua De Beber” has the added feature of Brunotte vocalizing, a worthwhile effect that adds more diversity to the mix.

The title track “Manic Moments” a Brunotte original composition has a swinging feel to it, with excellent electric bass guitar lines by Damon Brown and great dynamics by drummer Bill Berg. A horn section is added giving the song a powerful edge, Glen Ingram takes the first solo on saxophone and proceeds to produce a flowing, calming interlude to this, at times, manic arrangement. Guitarist, Scott Sawyer chimes in with some well placed chords and breaks out to fire off single note runs, offset by sumptuous full chords. He slides up to lay down a set of rapid fire riffs in the higher register that build the song in intensity and opens the door for Gary Brunotte to provide a wailing organ solo that cries out with passion. 

“You & The Night & The Music” features Gary Brunotte on piano in a trio setting. Brunotte has a lyrical, fluid style to his piano playing, there is an intensity present that reminds one of  T.S. Monk in style. The song opens up to allow acoustic bassist John Simonetti and drummer Berg to play freely within the melody.      

The song “Chickish Tinge” a Brunotte composition features horns once again, with Jim Ketch  blowing a sweet sounding trumpet and Gregg Gelb on alto saxophone playing in a most melodic manner. The tenor saxophonist Glen Ingram plays as a man inspired as he takes it outside and gives the song a tinge of fire. 

The original Brunotte composition “Sometime” has a beautiful melody and takes the path of a piano jazz trio with a guest accordionist, a part played by Gary Brunotte, a solid feature that adds a European influence. The song is waltz like, with a heartfelt melancholy groove and a broken heart feel. One of the most delightful songs on the album and typical of Manic Moments, an album of exploration of styles in composition, that is somewhat manic in its diversification.  

The final song of the album Manic Moments, a fitting conclusion and sticking to the theme, finds Brunotte singing “Mas Que Nada,” he is joined by a wonderful, angelic sounding choir, credited as the Durham Children’s Choir, directed by Scott Hill, a short but touching finale to an interesting album.

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