MELANIE JACKSON & SAL CRACCHIOLO  - FLY (2000)

Sal Cracchiolo, trumpeter of Grammy Award Winning Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band has teamed up with singer, Melanie Jackson to incorporate a wonderful blend of jazz standards and originals done with a Latin touch.
The musicians who play on this CD are no slouches either. All of them are pros who can give your ears a treat by turning on your CD player and turning up the volume. The CD features well-known studio legend, Gary Foster on alto sax, Poncho Sanchez, on three cuts and a host of fantastic rhythm players such as Jose “Papo” Rodriguez on percussion, Joe Rotondi and Jim Szilagyi on piano, Rene Camacho and Putter Smith on bass, and Kendall Kay on drums. Larold Rebhun, sound engineer for the X-files, La Femme Nikita and more, also helped Sal and Melanie to produce this project

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 01-Sweet bean

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 02-Fly

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 03-A spring day with you

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 04-Si no hay amor

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 05-Waltz for Debby

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 06-Moanin

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 07-One note Samba

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 08-If I should lose you

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 09-When October goes

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 10-Like someone in love

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 11-A night in Tunisia

Melanie Jackson & Sal Cracchiolo Fly (2000) 12-It might as well be spring

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Review by Patricia Albela courtesy LA Jazz Scene

Trumpeter Sal Cracchiolo and vocalist Melanie Jackson, two outstanding musicians with substantial credits have joined talents and efforts to create this vocal Latin Jazz delight.

The CD includes a superb combination of Latin-drenched jazz standards and originals in a variety of rhythms. In it Cracchiolo reveals a gift for composing, and Jackson for lyrics.

The opening number, "Sweet Bean," is an inviting cha-cha. The title cut, "Fly," is a lively piece in 3/4 Latin feel, where Jackson seats some dazzling lines in unison with Cracchiolo's flugelhorn. "A Spring Day With You" is a burning instrumental mambo-jazz, written and arranged by Cracchiolo. "Si No Hay Amor" is a bolero with exquisite changes, and features altoist Gary Foster. In "One Note Samba" Jackson sings the first chorus with an R&B feel, then the arrangement moves into a brisk samba. Jackson and pianist Joe Rotundi in a masterful duo perform Barry Manilow's ballad "When October Goes."

In "Moanin'," bass and piano play an intro in unison , and then drums, piano, congas and chekere' come in an infectious 6/8. The arrangement goes straight-ahead at the bridge,. Jackson carries the melody with soul and assertiveness. Cracchiolo delivers one of his fiery improvisations. Then Rotundi takes over and swings through 6/8 and straight-ahead. At the end comes a rumba that features Papo Rodriguez on chekere', and a picante conga solo by guest percussionist Poncho Sanchez (Cracchiolo's boss in his "day job").

Jackson begins singing "A Night In Tunisia" over an intro bass line and claves. Then congas come in mambo, and the band joins at the bridge in straight-ahead.

All through the recording Cracchiolo's hot chops and dynamic lines swing with marvelous sense of rhythm. And Jackson's sweet and strong voice is amazingly at ease in mambos, cha-chas and sambas, as it is in straight-ahead ballads or swing.

Cracchiolo's trumpet and Jackson's voice blend beautifully in the improvisation-like unisons in "Fly" and "Night In Tunisia."

Jackson and Cracchiolo, partners in music and in life, are joined in this project by some of the most in-demand LA Latin jazz musicians. Pianist Joe Rotundi, Bassist Rene' Camacho, percussionist Jose' "Papo" Rodriguez, drummer Kendall Kay and composer/arranger Charlie Otwell, contribute their talent and each of their unique styles to the high quality of this work.

Highly recommended.
 

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