Cory Weeds delivers a blistering set of Italian-themed tunes backed up by one of the pre-eminant organ bands in jazz today on his new album O Sole Mio! Music From The Motherland.
An alto-saxophonist with an expressive sound rooted in jazz tradition, a label owner tirelessly documenting unsung jazz heroes and one of Canada’s most important jazz impresarios – Weeds is all of these things, and much more.
Weeds has also recorded 17 albums as a leader and O Sole Mio!, his follow up to the chart-topping Day By Day album, sees him performing alongside such luminaries as Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Mike LeDonne (Hammond B3 Organ), Peter Bernstein (guitar) and Joe Farnsworth (drums)...
And the results speak for themselves: swinging bop lines executed by all, crackling rhythm section accompaniment and interaction, and an ensemble sound that underscores the values of swing, groove and participatory interaction.
This carefully selected set of compositions celebrate through reinvention and interpretation some great Italian music (O Sole Mio, Toma A Surriento), as well as compositions taken from the rich history of contribution that Italian-Americans have brought to jazz and the American popular song (Marmarosa, Corea, Martino, Mancini).
Chris Spector, writing for Midwest Record, said: “A hip, happening bouncing and bopping set, this takes chestnuts you thought you were over and done with and roasts them one more time for you to get your groove on. This is a trip through the Big Apple that won’t turn up any worms. Dig it.”
While, Jack Bowers, writing for All About Jazz, said: “O Sole Mio!, the latest in a series of splendid albums by Canadian-bred saxophonist/entrepreneur Weeds, is a session that swings, as Italians might say, with gusto. Technically, everyone in the ensemble is impeccable and deserves serious thought for inclusion on anyone’s list of the year’s top ten.”
TRACKS
O Sole Mio
Mr. Lucky
Speak Softly
Love On The Stairs
Estate
Chick’s Tune
Torna A Sorriento
Moody Blues
Whims Of Chambers