Letizia, Gaetano
Letizia Music, 2021, CD
Instrument: Guitar
Issue: 27.4
Jazz Ruler Type: Fusion
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 81
O’s Notes: Guitarist and composer Gaetano Letizia assembles a fine band with Bob Estelle (sax), Theron Brown (organ, p), Matthew DeRubertis (b) and Bill Ransom (d, perc). Letizia sets the mood with funky rhythms, relaxed melodies and blues excursions. They get right down to business opening with the title track. Gaetano and Estelle handle most melodies alone and in tandem as on “Paradise Found”. “Back & Blue” is a racy, blues-fusion number that goes around the horn over 9 minutes. DeRubertis infuses a calypso vibe on “Blue Ionosphere” before returning to the funk on “Punch Drunk”. It’s all original and all good!
Publicist: Mouthpiece Music
