Customer Reviews

Heart & Soul Guitar

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Tony Mottola (not to be confused with Mariah Carey's ex-husband, Tommy Mottola) is one of the most listened to guitarists, if not well-known names, in pop music history. In addition to dozens of his own albums, he was featured on nearly 150 of Enoch Light's pioneering stereo LPs for Command and Project 3, as well as countless pop and jazz studio sessions. Television viewers heard Mottola with the Tonight Show band, and concert audiences saw him accompanying Perry Como and Frank Sinatra.

This disc collects sixteen tracks from 1967-1983, highlighting Mottola's fluid, relaxed style in small group settings. His playing swings ever-so-easily between tin-pan alley ("Stardust" "Always"), jazz standards ("Satin Doll"), Sinatra's songbook ("All the Way" "Fly Me to the Moon"), and even soft-rock classics (Bread's "If"). Though not the dizzying, channel-romping productions of his work with Light, the instruments of Dick Hyman, Joe Venuto and Bucky Pizzarelli are broadly panned for maximum stereo satisfaction.

Mottola's was heavily influenced (as was virtually every guitarist starting out in the '40s) by Charlie Christian. Over the years he developed a warm tone and melodic touch similar to Wes Montgomery's lighter side, turning romantic ballads such as these into smooth, mood-soothing music. Perfect for a candlelight dinner or a quiet read on the couch.

I love guitarists. The guitar is an instrument that I love to hear competent musicians play. One of the most underrated, in my humble opinion, is Tony Mottola. He once was listed as one of Frank Sinatra's favorite guitarists. He has toured with Sinatra as well. This collection is just beautiful guitar playing at it's best. Subtlety and emotion shine through every note Mr. Mottola strums, picks or plays a string. If you want to hear classic standards like It Had To Be You, So Nice (summer Samba), Tea For Two, Bewitched, Satin Doll, et al, this collection is a good one to pick up. I play it at dinner parties, when I read or sometimes when I am typing a report for work. I know 3 people who have purchased this CD because they heard me playing it. I also recommend this to Guitar afficionados AND music students.

Love the music, but I was hoping the CD would include the same tracks as the original Total Sound LP release. I came across an original unopened LP from 1966 which has only 2 of the same tracks found on the CD. The original track listing is: 1. Heart and Soul 2. If He Walked into My Life 3. Lullabye of The Leaves 4. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You 5. Tony's Tune 6. Little Girl Blue (Side 2) 1. Georgia 2. Love is Here to Stay 3. Jimmy's Blues 4. The Gang that Sang Heart of My Heart 5. The Impossible Dream 6. My Ideal

But, what can I say, it's Tony Mottola! You can't go wrong with this album either way.

I am 70 and have played guitar since I was 13. That was about the time I discovered Tony Mottola, first playing the theme for the old B&W TV show "Danger", then on the radio and records. He has always ranked at the top of the guitar artists with me. This disk, "Heart & Soul Guitar" captures the artistry, the pure style, the very essence of Tony's fabulous guitar playing talent with a selection of his best song arrangements. I only wish I had more of his recordings. He is a true legend, and will be missed. I would advise everyone who loves beautiful, relaxing guitar music to purchase this disk before it is gone.

Tony Mottola was a master guitarist, his style & techniques were among the very best. The selections on this CD are great, however the reproduction/re-mastering techniques employed in the making of this CD do not do him justice. The rendition of the "Bass" on this CD is over-powering and almost unbearable at times. I am very disappointed in the quality of this production run, perhaps a "re-call" is in order!

An outstanding classic jazz song collection. The songs are dated but the style of guitar and technique are still great. Sounds like a lounge in Vegas in '68.

If you were a Perry Como TV watcher, and if you enjoyed the guitar accompinament to his romantic ballads, you were watching and enjoying the absolutely greatest guitarist ever. That's my humble opinion

In 1970 I was introduced to Tony Mottola's music through listening to, and then immediately buying his LP "Roman Guitar". As a guitarist, my heroes up until then had been Barney Kessel, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, and others. Tony Mottola's command of the guitar opened my ears to another style of playing the instrument, and I transcribed many of the tunes from that LP. Later I found other albums he'd released and almost wore them out too.

Although I continued to listen to and analyze performances and solos of the jazz greats, I spent a lot of time practicing to get my playing as clean and as clear as this remarkable guitarist, with only partial success.

Heart & Soul Guitar is a compilation from assorted LPs dating from 1967 through the 70s and up to 1983. Some would categorize these album as "easy listening", and I wouldn't dispute that. It IS easy to listen to. In fact every track is a delight. Mottola's technique is faultless, his sound sweet and crystal clear, his musical ideas flow easily and his embellishments of the melodies are a pleasure to listen to.

For me, Mr. Mottola's playing carries the same sense of joy and delight that I hear in George Benson's early recordings. Two very different guitarists, two very different styles, and yet there is an exhilaration and happiness that comes through in their playing which stimulates my musical taste buds.

If, like me, you are partial to good jazz and good pop music, or if you are a student guitarist searching for some good quality stuff to study and emulate, you'd do yourself a favor by having a listen to Tony Mottola. An impeccable player with a great sound, Tony Motolla's style will never go out of date.

Tony Matola makes a guitar "sing" the best instrumental interpretations of old [[ASIN:B00005V8J2 Heart & Soul Guitar] popular songs. Listening to this CD will fill your heart with love,happiness, and reminisences. Stardust and My Satin Doll are my favorites.

I first came to know, and love, the mastery of the guitar, in the hands of Tony Mattola, when he accompanied Perry Como; He did that for 16 years. His style is akin to that of Chet Atkins and Al Ciaola, but Tony's guitar speaks from his soul. He doesn't require an orchestra back up, or accompaniment of any kind. If you love a soft, romantic guitar, you gotta love Tony.