Off The Charts
Savant, 2023
8/10
The drummer extraordinaire Richard Baratta interprets the lesser known work of Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd, Chick Corea and others across these 9 exciting tracks that welcome Jerry Bergonzi, David Kikoski, John Patitucci and Paul Rossman.
“Herzog” gets the listen off to a swift start, where Bergonzi’s lively tenor sax and Kikoski’s finger acrobatics on piano complement the frisky drums, and “Molten Glass” follows with a calmer pace that makes great use of Rossman’s eloquent percussion amid Baratta’s meticulous drumming.
In the middle, “Afro-Centric” is populated by Patitucci’s bouncy electric bass lines and Kikoski’s playful electric piano for the cultured melodies, while “Lost” is quite dreamy thanks to the warm keys, agile drumming and radiant tone.
Close to the end, “Sombrero Sam” emits soulful brass from Bergonzi’s sax and creative percussion thanks to Rossman, and “Out Of This World” exits with the soaring sax, firm keys and dynamic drumming courtesy of Baratta’s inimitable skills.
Baratta makes the most of these pieces that focus on the ‘60s and ‘70s and are certainly part of his own artistic path, and they sure sound great with the A-list musicians on hand for the occasion.
Travels well with: Septology- The Black Forest Session; Hery Paz- Jardineros