Smooth Jazz Now : Mike Di Lorenzo

Track Listing
1. City Vibe
2. Loosey Goose
3. Urbanized
4. Severance
5. Too High
6. West 47th
7. My Time
8. Groovemaster
9. Motified
10. Northern Samba
11. After Midnight
12. Curb Appeal

April 27, 2005 - New out this month is an excellent piece of work from New York based Mike Di Lorenzo. The independently produced 'Urbanized' is Mike's first foray as leader and an adventure that, as well as taking him center stage on keyboards, finds him producing all twelve tracks. Not only that, with the exception of the Stevie Wonder cover 'Too High', he has written them all too. This is not surprising for an artist who has previously made his mark as a writer and producer and who has worked as a side man with high caliber artists such as Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston, Gerald Alston and Regina Belle. In addition, Di Lorenzo is also an active member of the New York ten piece jazz funk Latin band the Dalton Gang that is led by guitarist, arranger and composer Willy Dalton. This is not insignificant as the band has provided a useful outlet for some of the best freelance musicians around and enabled collaborations that Mike makes full use of with 'Urbanized'. The Dalton Gang has released three CD's on Second Step Music. Their debut 'Rhythms' came out in 1993, 'Miami Shadows' followed in 1995 and 'Just For Tonight' appeared in 2002. Three Dalton gang regulars are there with Di Lorenzo on 'Urbanized', Willy Dalton on guitar, Vinnie Cutro on trumpet and Frank Valdes, who has worked with Tito Puente, on percussion. Joining them is the excellent Bob Malach on sax and Karl Latham on drums. With such experience and expertise one would expect the product to be good and it's all of that and more. As an indication as to what the listener might expect, 'Urbanized' is postured as "a fresh blend of contemporary jazz with hip-hop, Latin and R & B elements. Aficionados of Joe Sample, George Duke, Down To The Bone and Michael Brecker will be well served with this assortment of urban instrumental arrangements." This is all true but one element that the publicity fails to pick up on is the originality of some of the music and the virtuosity that Mike Di Lorenzo brings to it. The CD is generously endowed with stand out tracks and none more so than 'Motified', a groovy number with Latin influences rumbling beneath Di Lorenzo's hallmark keyboards that, in this case, are deliciously laced with horns. The combination makes it late night radio ready. Just as good is 'My Time', a slow low jazzy roller with a mere touch of vocal interaction that turns it into a very hot number indeed. 'City Vibe' is just that, a kicking beat, cool trumpet from Vinnie Cutro and Di Lorenzo's groove driven keyboard while the title track is a tight piano number that finds Di Lorenzo at his best. The impressive use of the only cover on the album 'Too High' really adds value while also worthy of mention is 'Loosey Goosy' a light and airy late night chill out piano piece that has the smoldering sax of Malach thrown in for good measure. When asked what he was setting out to achieve with 'Urbanized' Mike Di Lorenzo explained that the aim "is to connect with the rhythms and grooves that are happening today and provide an interesting blend where melody and harmonic creativity can be incorporated with popular rhythm formats." With a selection of music that spans contemporary chill, smooth, hip-hop and Latin jazz right on through to quiet storm, Mike Di Lorenzo seems to have pulled it off and, into the bargain, provided what is likely to be one of the more engaging releases of 2005. - by Denis Poole. April 2005.

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