Search - Gerardo Frisina :: Hi Note

Jazz & Bossa - Schema Style!

bordersj2 | Boston | 09/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I really dig Gerardo Frisina. Many at Schema make sure to give this talented producer and artist his due - as he is one of the guys along with David Rosa and Luciano Cantone (Cantone mixed the massively succesful Break & Bossa's) to re-shape the Ishtar label. The influences for his tracks come from many different backgrounds: a bit bossa, a bit Africa, healthy old school USA jazz & Euro jazz and some underground nu-jazz. What you get is that sound... funk, vibrant, colorful and still... amazingly cool. This is his second release on Schema (at least that I'm aware of) that follows up the successful bossa influenced "Ad Lib" of a few years ago. Ad Lib featured some pretty sweet cuts on it that've since been mixed, remixed and added to many a nu-jazz compilation, including a total sampling of "Fiera" by label-mate Nicola Conte, who placed it under Mo Horizon's "Foto Viva" to give it a stellar sun-drenched feel.



The music on 'Hi-Note'? Frisina kept it pretty consistent by enlisting another talented pair from Schema, Enzo and Gianni Lo Greco aka "Soulstance" to contribute along with a slew of other musicians, namely Emanuele Cisi on the sax and Luigi Bonafede on pianos. This is some cool stuff! From the opening cut, you know what to expect; that familiar jazz sound, perfect lounge. Joyas kicks it up a bit with some heavy Sax and Bluesnova is perfect for that time downtown, hitting the martini bar with the live band playing (ala Wonderbar... only with this you can hear your date!) Intenso has that sort of St. Germain swing you'll dig, and "Beyond the Moon" is a soulful yet not too slow vocal track that's perfect for asking that beautiful woman "shall we dance"? I could go through all the songs, but that could take all night, so let me say that the rest of the album is also stellar with touches of not just Brazil but Cuba and latin America. "Sophisticated Samba" is the one that should be most recognized as it featured on Break & Bossa 6 right after the sweet jazz cut "Trading 8's". What tunes both of those are! "Sophisticated Samba" has that mellowed out vibe to it, you pop it in, shine your ride up and just chill.



I HIGHLY recommend this CD. I've had it since the day it came out and love it, popping it in if ever in the mood for drinks or an easy night on the town. But be warned - this is very different from "Ad Lib". The sound is far more mature, and IMO far more polished. If you were to get both, you may want to build up to this one since "Ad Lib" has a bit of a different feel to it. But that's not to take anything away as it too is a great album. And if you can get the vinyls.



If you enjoyed this and do have it, give some love to Soulstance's "Life Size", S-Tone Inc.'s "Sobrenatural" (or Supernatural), Break & Bossa vol 5 and vol 6 along with another Schema comp titled "Freedom Jazz Dance". But you'll want B&B vol. 6 first. It features Nicola Conte, Gianluca Petrella, Hipnosis, Eli Goulart, Buscemi, The Five Corners Quintet, Povo, UFO, Big Bossa and loads more. Also be on the look-out for Rosalia De Souza's remix project and Gerardo Frisina's own remixes in general - they are very very good too. Almost forgot... check out Nicola Conte's new album titled "Other Directions", as it was released on Blue Note instead of Schema."