Handful of Soul [Import]

Mario Biondi | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: FAMILY AFFAIR DISTRIBUTION
• ASIN: B000F6IINK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,691 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Child Runs Free

2. No Mercy for Me

3. This Is What You Are

4. Rio de Janeiro Blue

5. Slow Hot Wind

6. A Handful of Soul

7. Never Die

8. On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)

9. Gig

10. I Can't Keep from Cryin' Sometimes

11. No Trouble on the Mountain

12. I'm Her Daddy

Editorial Reviews

When the producers and Mario decided together the repertoire to be performed, Mario doubted he might be able to reproduce stylistically songs of the classic American repertoire such as "Slow Hot Wind" and "On A Clear Day", or even "A Handful Of Soul". The result instead can be stunning to most. In this album, not only he delivers a very convincing interpretation but his voice adds a different colour to the music. In the past few years Mario collaborated with Alessandro Magnanini (Was-A-Bee), multi-faced musician as well as excellent arranger. With Alessandro, Mario co-wrote two authentic gems "No Mercy For Me" and "This Is What You Are". The latter was released as a single and licensed on various compilations, gaining enough success. Whilst "No Mercy For Me" reveals Mario's true soul of a crooner, "This Is What You Are" went on air in U.K. on heavy rotation in Norman Jay's program Giant 45 for BBC London. Whereas in Italy it was programmed by RMC and later became the music to the network's corporate TV commercial. Another unreleased track is "Never Die", wrote by Marco Bianchi and Paolo Fedreghini (of duo Fedreghini-Bianchi, as well as The Invisible Session), produced on the blueprint of "This is What You Are" yet a fine piece of vocal jazz with fascinating harmonies and captivating solos. Tributes to rock-blues, soul-blues and rhythm-blues follow respectively in the shape of "I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes" by Al Kooper, a _ on the trail of Deirdre Wilson Tabac where Mario's soulful passionate signing shines throughout the song; "I'm Her Daddy" originally by the one and only Bill Withers and "No Trouble on The Mountain" by L.C Cook, another marvellous tune convincingly covered by Mario's unique voice. Quite interesting is the version he sang of "A Child Runs Free" a modern Bossa in perfect Schema style, just like the samba "Rio De Janeiro Blue".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly an amazing artist, November 16, 2009

By 

Brian Wilson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handful of Soul (Audio CD)

Mario Biondi has one of those powerful voices that you do not forget. After hearing one of his songs playing in a lounge of a restaurant, I went home and looked him up on Amazon. The rest is history. After I listened to the sample clips I had to order the CD. Every song is just as amazing as the other; there is not a single track I am not wild about. This is one of those must-have CD's for any music collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Il Grande Mario Biondi!, February 18, 2009

By 

20YrTrader (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handful of Soul (Audio CD)

I heard his video with Neri Per caso on Youtube, what a fool believes, and that turned me on to him. What an amazing singer, great voice and artistry. A mix of a young Italian Barry White with Sinatra smooth who can do Jazz like an American from Nawlin's, and a man who takes him music seriously. Very tight and high musicianship.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JAZZY, DEEP, BEAUTIFUL & WARM!, November 6, 2008

By 

Rafael Cova "Kid X" (Caracas, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handful of Soul (Audio CD)

I didn't know anything about Mario Biondi until release from Dimitri From Paris "Return To The Playboy Mansion" Return to the Playboy Mansion
You will be surprised by this singer's deep and warm voice. It recalls the great interpreter of soul and rhythm 'n' blues music. Many will think of a black singer. Mario was born in Catania, Sicilia, Italy. Certainly he's capable of expressing his Soul when singing. "Handful of Soul" is an album ranging between Jazz and Soul. The result is in this very enticing music release, whose sound swings from smooth vocal melodies to rhythmic tracks to dance to. The love for Rhythm & Blues and Soul, the styles of music mostly appreciated by Mario, took him to listen to a certain music repertoire, in particular some of the most representative related artists (Earth Wind & Fire, Donny Hattaway, Billy Paul, Luther Vandross, Lou Rawls, Aretha Franklin, Eryka Badu, Will Dowing. In this album, not only he delivers a very convincing interpretation but his voice adds a different color to the music in "Slow Hot Wind" as well as in "A handful of Soul". The feel-good sensation spread in "On A Clear Day" is certainly enhanced by the deep husky voice of the interpreter. Mario himself remained pleasantly astonished by his own familiarity with those tunes. The inspiration he got from singing them moved himself, along with the other co-authors, to lay down the track "Gig", clearly of American derivation, Cole Porter style. Whilst "No Mercy For Me" reveals Mario's true soul of a crooner, "This Is What You Are" the most beautiful song in this album, a fine piece of vocal dance-jazz with fascinating harmonies and captivating solos. Tributes to rock-blues, soul-blues and rhythm-blues follow respectively in the shape of "I Can't Keep From Crying Sometime" by Al Kooper.