Customer Reviews

Handful of Soul

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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.

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.

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.

If you want to get a feel for this album check the video on YouTube. Mario has a husky voice with a style similar to Sinatra. Integral to the sound is the excellent work by the band, the High Five Quintet. This is not a band thrown together to back him up but a working jazz quintet. I have a very good modern jazz album they did earlier. These guys are no lightweights and are very good straight ahead players. Like most of the music on the Schema label this album is very jazzy , cool, nu-jazz. All the songs are very good. The album sold very well in Italy and I suspect all over Europe where a lot of young people are into danceable jazz and straight ahead groups play at raves.

Handful of Soul was recorded in 2006, but it still stands out as one of the best "smooth jazz" vocal recordings in years. Biondi's voice is beautiful, expressive and soulful as it rides and weaves through excellent arrangements and tight instrumental performances - intelligently augmented by a great mix. Although different in their tone and phrasing, the level of Biondi's performance on this CD reminds me of some of my favorite classic Johnny Hartman recordings. (I never thought I'd say something like that, but Handful of Soul is just that good.) Handful of Soul is only available at this time at an import price, but it is still well worth the extra few dollars. Surprisingly, Biondi's later CD, "If," seems to stray a bit too far out of his element; his efforts on "If" to achieve a "pop" sound make him sound like a less-than-successful David Clayton-Thomas imitator - but Handful of Soul showcases Biondi at his very best, and when he is at his best, there is no one better. My recommendation is to buy this CD, skip the follow-up, If, and wait for Biondi's next effort.

This man is smok'n! Just when I thought this quality of music and voice had gone, gone away.

Wonderful stuff. Great collection.

Mario can reach out. I'm AM feel'n it!

JC Delta, Colorado.

this guy could give singing advise to tony bennett (on a clear day), he's that good.
bella! bella!

It ' s just a pure music , Sounds mixed clear ; amazing voice . It is a grest moment for the soul .