RICO MONACO & SOL SONS - LUNA SALERNO (2006)
Award Winning Latin Rock from Florida with world influences. Includes 10 minute Enhanced Video Interview with Rico Monaco containing live clips, pics, etc. (loads into PC or Mac).
1. Ciao Bella Signorina
2006
2. My Dreams
3. Luna Salerno
4. Say Cabo
5.
One Step Closer To You (with Tito Puente Jr)
6. Ya Ya Ma Ma (featuring Tito Puente Jr)
7. Vesuvio
8. Ciao Bella Signorina 2006 -radio edit
more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels
review by By Jamie Anderson courtesy Indie-Music
When
Tito Puente Jr
says they’re one of the best bands he’s ever worked with, pay
attention. And hot damn, you don’t wanna sit still while this band
is cranking up their hot Latin groove with great pop sensibilities,
all played with superb musicianship.
Pull your lover close with the title track, a beautiful instrumental
that begins with slow sensual strings and angelic vocals, building
slowly with a laid back guitar then adding percussion and picking up
tempo until the drums – a set with a steady groove with bursts of
timbales and congas – take center stage. It’s breathtakingly sensual.
Party with “Say Cabo,” a song that tells the story of winning a
battle of the bands and going to Mexico to jam with Sammy Hagar and
Michael Anthony and indeed, there’s a feel reminiscent of vintage
Van Halen but done to a reggae beat. Anthony Miceli and Zoraida sing
a passionate duet on “My Dreams.” “One Step Closer to You” is jazz
pop ballad that goes down like smooth whiskey. “Cio Bella Signorina”
is a gorgeous love song with Latin percussion. The verses are in
English, the chorus in Italian but you don’t have to know the
language to understand.
Two live studio jams are included, “Ya Ya Ma Ma,” recorded with
Puente Jr
on timbales, percussion and backing vocals; and “Vesuvio,” an
ambitious Latin jazz piece that tells the story of the eruption and
aftermath of Mt. Vesuvio. The guitar on the former sounds a bit too
much like one of Santana’s songs, but in this genre, it’s probably
hard to get away from that sound. The latter is like a movie with
many changing moods played out through different tempos and textures
that blend seamlessly. Not all musicians could play live without
overdubs and still sound like this. Amazing.
I love the production of this album. The instruments and vocals fit
like lovers in a slow dance. It’s polished but doesn’t sound like
some producer labored over every second.
If you’re the first in line for Santana tickets, and of course, if
you love Latin pop, you’ll want this album. Highly recommended.
