Novecento (feat. Stanley Jordan) - Dreams Of Peace

Styles: Jazz Pop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:28
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Tell Me Something
(5:54)  2. Flying On The Sky
(5:46)  3. Too Close To The Sun
(4:11)  4. Sky Flower
(4:28)  5. Destination Of My Heart
(4:45)  6. Spring
(5:34)  7. Dreams Of Peace
(4:52)  8. Easy Love
(4:14)  9. I Can Show You Something

Novecento's recording Dreams of Peace featuring guitarist Stanley Jordan is a lush production that often melts into smooth jazz grooves, but the level of musicianship and the setails that are added keep this from being a soulless snoozefest. Novecento is comprised of the Nicolosi siblings Dona (vocals), Lino (rhythm guitar), Rosanna (bass), and Pino (keyboards). Along with Jordan, who plays lead guitar on the entire album, the Nicolosis recorded and mixed Dreams of Peace at their studio in Milan, with some additional sessions done in California. The opening song, Tell Me Something, is nothing like the average smooth jazz or AOR track. Its grandeur resembles the progressive rock of Yes or the symphonic folk rock of Renaissance, or perhaps Enya without all the vocal overdubs. It s an intriguing piece, but ultimately sinks a bit under its own weight. Flying on the Sky gets us solidly into a smooth groove as Jordan and trumpeter Guy barker play the melody together. It s alike a cross between George Benson and Herb Alpert. So far the score is average, and the fluffy, wordless background vocals don t help. 

Jordan does some nice soloing, but the track is too light to be memorable. Too Close to the Sun finds a better groove and some nice details in the keyboard work of Pino Nicolosi as well as a solid horn arrangement. Barker tosses in a nice flugelhorn solo and Jordan gets some sparks flying with his guitar work. It s the details the Nicolosi s productions adds, like Marco Fadda s percussion work, that help lift Dreams of Peace above the run of the mill smooth release. Sky Flower has a good energy level, with a techno beat played live by drummer Mimmo Campanale and great guitar fills from Jordan. The overall sound and feel is like an outtake from a late seventies/early eighties Santana album. Vocal work by Gregg Brown of the band Osibisa is well done on this track, as well as on the final track, I Can Show You Something. 

Destination of My Heart features a Dave Liebman sax solo that lifts the track out of the ordinary. In all honesty, the music on this disc is infections and actually bears repeated listening, again because of the care and attention to detail demonstrated by both the musicians and the producers. Heading into the disc s second half Spring is somewhere between 70s fusion and electric free jazz. Jordan lets loose with some high volume guitar shredding while guest Danny Gottlieb unfurls a salvo of free wheeling drum work that recalls Tony Williams at times. Then, orver a wash of synth chords Randy Brecker steps in with a fully swinging jazz solo. The following track, Dreams of Peace is a showcase for Jordan, who rises to the occasion with some of his finest solo work of the album. The final two tracks return to a more predictable smooth format, with Brown returning for vocals on the closer, I Can Show You Something. ~ Jazzitude.com – Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Peace-Novecento/dp/B0002IQKGS

Personnel:  Stanley Jordan - lead guitar; Gregg Brown and Dora Nichols - vocals; Lino Nichols - rhythm guitar; Randy Brecker - trumpet; Guy Barker - trumpet and flugelhorn; Dave Liebman - tenor saxophone; Rossanna Nicolisi - bass; Pino Nicolisi - keyboards; Mimmo Campanale - drums; Danny Gottlieb - drums; Marco Fadda - percussion; Leonardo Govin - trombone; Trio Solista & Friends - strings.

Dreams Of Peace

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