(Michael Pedicin, tenor sax; Johnnie Valentino, guitar; Mick Rossi, piano; Chris Colangelo, bass; Michael Sarin, drums)
Pedicin is evidently a saxist from the Philadelphia area who has a close musical connection with guitarist Valentino, and it appears they are both playing in the LA area currently. The two shared the production chores on making this album which was recorded in Philadelphia. All ten tracks save one are compositions from guitarist Valentino; they are varied and enjoyable listening though all in a not-terribly-tonal style which seems to be de rigeur lately in modern jazz.
I’m not one to believe we’ve run good melodies into the ground yet, and I usually have a hard time with the less diatonically tonal. However, Valentino’s themes are not without interest, and seem to allow for a variety of creative improvisation based on them. They held my attention even though the quintet never really boogies or rocks out. But neither do they fall into the fusion or funk bag. In fact some of the tunes take on an almost New Music cast that ambles freely across the boundaries between jazz and classical chamber music.
TrackList:
Pelican, This way out, LA to Philly, One of us, Contours, After the rainbow is over; Concatenation; Another day, Later, Everything starts now.
– John Henry
