DRUM 'N' VOICE 2

The collaboration between one of Jazz-Rock Fusion's most loyal and iconic founders and Milano's Nicolosi family continues. The list of guests appearing here arouse high expectations of more serious Jazz-Rock Fusion.

1. "Waveform" (5:04) all synth work, including the bass and programming, reminding me of the spirit of late 70s-early 80s techno-devourer Herbie Hancock. (8.875/10)

2. "Real Funk" (4:36) actually, funked up blues. Excellent blues-jazz guitar from Frank Gambale. Buddy Miles' vocal is okay--nothing extraordinary. (8.75/10)

3. "Running" (7:45) rich Fender Rhodes play from Pino with yet another amazing bass line from sister Rossana. Drums join in opening up the way for Lino's excellent electric guitar work. Billy's just holding time with rock solid tenacity. Great jam; feels a bit like a cross between music behind Al Jarreau and Narada Michael Walden though a step or two up in term of funkiness. Pino's keyboard synth work in the second half is as extraordinary as his brother is on guitar. What a perfect pair! No wonder they're such amazing songwriters! And their prowess only seems to grow the longer the song goes on (even when guitarist Lino Nicolosi shows off his rather exceptional percussion chops in the final minute)! (13.625/15)

4. "Final Destination" (6:53) not quite up to the level of the previous tunes, it takes the arrival of the horns in the second half of the second minute to really get things off the ground, then the interplay between Billy, Rossana and Marco Fadda really begins to shine. (13.375/15)

5. "One More Day To Live" (5:13) virtuoso acoustic guitarist Dominic Miller opens this song before the Nicolosi family join in, setting up a nice bed for vocalist Mike Lindup to lay his vocal in. He's got a nice voice--one that reminds me of Hall & Oates and England Dan & John Ford Coley--but not quite top tier material. Still a nice tune--not disappointing or detracting from the overall vibe of the album. Dominic doesn't really get much spotlight, but I guess that's okay. (8.875/10)

6. "Ozone Part. 1" (2:12) Billy attacks this song (a drum solo) with some new ideas and continued fervor. I am impressed. (5/5) 7. "Ozone Part. 2" (6:28) taking the previous song's ideas and putting it to music with the help of Novecento, Jeff Berlin, Jan Hammer, Dominic Miller (on gorgeous electric guitar), and Airto Moriera. Incredible Jazz-Rock Fusion of the old style! The presence of these old pals really pushes Billy to reach for heights we don't hear from him as often as we did in 1971-73. (9.667/10)

8. "Take Seven" (6:01) again Billy showing much more than time keeping, this bouncy rondo of Jazz-Rock Fusion turns a little smoother when the intro ends and Pino's Fender Rhodes gets singled out for the lead, but then it wavers back into J-R F territory. Rossana's thick bass sound is awesome at the very lowest end of the scale, and the horn accents are très important. Solos from guitar and, of course, John Patucci's bass are great, neither lasting too long before the band returns to the main riff. Michele Carrabba gets the next solo--one of the longest ones (with Patucci)--while Pino's Fender and the funk rhythm section holds full and solid from beneath. And then, sadly, the song is faded out. Too bad! Great groove with some truly stellar drumming exhibited from the Master. Dora Nicolosi is listed as a vocalist on this one (which is something I've grown to look forward to very much) but it's, unfortunately, only in a capacity as a melody supporter with her wordless vocalese. (9.25/10)

9. "Let Me Breathe" (4:23) great groove setting up a wonderful song for the exquisite voice and vocal performance of Dora Nicolosi. Awesome bass, drum, keys, and rhythm guitar accents, but also Guy Barker's flugelhorn solo in the fourth minute. Another song that fades out far too early for my liking. So smooth and enjoyable! A real earworm that carries on long after the song has ended. (9.25/10)

10. "Amazon" (2:11) a drum and percussion duet between Billy and Airto, two long-time buds. Airto's percussive wordless vocalese is like another percussionist in the conversation. (4.625/5)

Total time 51:03

The difference in this album from the previous Drum 'N' Voice collaboration with the Nicolosi family and other friends is in the display of much more of Billy's extraordinary skills--and far more ventures into the more sophisticated and complex realms of peak era Jazz-Rock Fusion--whereas the first Drum 'N' Voice seemed far more oriented toward melodic pop Jazz-Funk on which Billy was primarily a rock-solid time keeper.

A-/five stars; another minor masterpiece of melodic, often grooving Jazz-Rock Fusion.

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