GARY FARR - MOVIN' THRU L.A. (2007)
Gary Farr
- piano, keyboards, string & horn arrangements, voices.
Ron Fattorusso
- saxes
Stephan Lexner - guitars
Tommy "Horn' Phillips - trumpets & trombones
Joe Marlin - bass
Vinny "Stixx' Amato - drums
more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels
Review by Paul J. Youngman - KJA Advocate for WWW.VINILEMANIA.NET
Gary Farr’s newest CD, Movin’ Thru L.A. is a smooth jazz, easy listening recording with some polished arrangements and some fine musical interludes. Farr, a pianist and composer marks this as his fifth release for the SFR label. The CD has the production style of a slick hit-making machine; all of the songs are either under four minutes or in the close to four-minute category, perfect for radio airplay. The tracks stick to a theme of catchy rhythms and flashy short solo’s.
The title track “Movin’ Thru L.A.” is the first song of the record; it starts with Farr laying down an opening chord and repeating this catchy jazz melody to a fast tempo, with a cha-cha style drum sound that moves the song along as if motoring down a freeway. Farr’s arrangements picks up the pace allowing the tune to build with layers of orchestral sounds, coming on strong to fill the song out in a blossoming manner.
The horn section of Ron Fattorusso and Tommy ‘Horn’ Phillips do a fine job on the funk-inspired tunes, “Burpin’ Burbank,” “Cool Nights & Hollywood Lights,” “The Colors of Malibu” and “Drivin’Down to DC.” The horn arrangements are credited to Gary Farr and considering the constraints, working in short time allotments, he has done a good job.
The CD Movin’ Thru L.A. has a little bit of everything, a Latin feel is explored in the song “The Train To West Covina” a fast moving samba flavored tune, with inspired piano breaks, driving percussion and a nice trumpet solo. A romantic blues line opens the song “The Santa Monica Mix” before delving into a disco groove with overriding elegant piano styling, there is even a string section (not credited in the liner notes) providing a lush full melody. The recording also includes a taste of refined jazz rock fusion, 13 tracks and fifty minutes of smooth jazz hits.
