Sultry Serenade [Import]

James Chirillo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Nagel-Heyer
• ASIN: B000253BZE
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,025,664 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. When Lights Are Low

2. I Love You, Samantha

3. Sultry Serenade

4. Counterpoise #2 for Electric Guitar and Trumpet

5. If I Only Had a Brain

6. Move

7. Elend

8. Can't We Be Friends?

9. Bourbon Street Parade

10. Lush Life

11. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows

12. Fancifree

13. Blues for Valerie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sultry Serenade - musical, far-ranging, and flowing., July 20, 2001

By 

"tns2" (Allendale, NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sultry Serenade (Audio CD)

This is one of those strong albums that have an inspired way of putting you deeply into the mood for hearing what is played. Actually, moods. The choices range all over the place, yet the album gives a sense of being a well-focussed collection. Each track leads in one's ear and mind with a naturalness and conviction that makes you really glad that that you heard it; there is no feeling that one has been hit with showing off, although the chops are there in large quantity among all hands. All the playing has a crispness that only top players like these can deliver, but what you notice is that the playing moves you, because Chirillo and company are artists. Sitting on top of the virtuosity are taste, thought, impulse, and a sense of beauty that don't sound contrived. The result is an adventurously changing groove. The ensemble work has drive and flow, and the solos flow movingly from one player to another with none of that feeling (all too common) of unconnected soloists rotating like the doodads on a cuckoo clock. There's that overriding feeling of coherence that enhances everything, without being obvious.

This is both an ear-catching disk that is fun to listen to, and that still can take you very deep if you care to go that way. Focus and freedom frequently clash; but here they complement each other and produce delight.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well considered, well swung!, January 18, 2001

By 

Mike Christianson (Fair Lawn, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sultry Serenade (Audio CD)

James Chirillo presents here a CD of jazz guitar that is not only carefully presented, but ebulliently played throughout. As a charter member of the Society For The Easily Bored, Mr. Chirillo imbues his project with the following criteria for heightened listener interest: 1.) Using multiple hollow-body guitars with an array of plucking and picking techniques to get numerous instrumental tone colors (without "flangeing" or "phase shifting", praise be!) 2.) Offering a wide array of musical styles steeped in jazz; the swift swing of "Move", the grave groove of "Blues For Valerie", the sensuous samba of "I Love You Samantha", the harmonic heft of "Counterpoise #2" the street beat of "Bourbon Street Parade", lovely "Lush Life", ETC.......! 3.) Painstakingly orchestrating ( by Mr. Chirillo) the music for maximum variety with the 8 musical participants. NOT EVERYONE PLAYS ON EVERY TUNE! HALLELUJAH! The leader himself doesn't even solo on every tune! Amen! 4.) Assembling nimble, sensitive musicians to assist in this most democratic art form; Alan Simon-piano, Greg Cohen-bass, Dave Ratajczak-drums, Randy Sandke-trumpet, Scott Robinson-tenor and BASS saxophones, Vera Mara-voice, and John Carisi-trumpet. What a wonderful, musical, swinging, intelligent CD!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars chalk up one for musicianship and brains!, August 1, 2001

By 

joel fass (bronx,, n.y. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sultry Serenade (Audio CD)

I have to own up first to my bias as a fellow jazz guitarist-composer (there are surprisingly few of us) and colleague of James Chirillo's for some years. This also makes me a fan, because James is an ace player AND writer, and has been so from way back. I'm tickled to see from the previous customer reviews that his musical point on the CD is so well-taken and enjoyed.

The two words that best sum up the diverse music here are: purpose and humor. Chirillo manages to shape the direction of each piece for maximum listener interest, giving it a good balance of structure and blowing room. When that blowing does start, it knows where to go because the writing takes the guesswork out. (It doesn't hurt either to have crackerjack players like these). James himself sets the tone with the warmth and unpretentiousness of his own playing. He has a natural, unstudied swing, great time feel and feeling for blues, and it's an easy rubric for all who follow. Plus, his general acumen on guitar allow him to cinch all the musical bases he covers.

As to the aforementioned humor, try the title tune. His solo has hilarious register changes, double-stops on open strings that bring to mind Gabor Szabo on acid, and other wacky devices. Spike Jones meets Duke Ellington! Or there's the use of Scott Robinson (another great player) and his bass sax on "Bourbon Street Parade". It'll burn off your nose hair.

Only a musician on a level of thoughtfulness and skill such as James Chirillo could make as diverse proceedings as these work. You gotta like a guy that has A Zemlinsky transcription for jazz band on the same CD as a Cole Porter rarity, sung in Portugese, yet! Also, as James noted in the liner notes, kudos are due to Negel-Heyer for issuing a performance of the great piece by John Carisi: Counterpoise #2.

The term "musician's musician" has been an albatross for more than one musician (for some, it implies inaccessability to the non-musician public), but James Chirillo had better accept it. He's stuck with it. And he proves it here, but this music is assessible too. Like all good art, it has humanity to spare.