Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Dominick Farinacci: Lovers, Tales & Dances

Dominick Farinacci: Lovers, Tales & Dances

By Hrayr Attarian
September 12, 2009
View read count

Dominick Farinacci: Lovers, Tales & Dances

The mass appeal of a jazz recording does not necessarily compromise its value or its artistic integrity; it simply means that the artist has mastered the difficult task of balancing the creative and the commercial. Trumpeter Dominick Farinacci has done just that on his debut album, Lovers, Tales & Dances.

Farinacci sounds a lot like

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown, with the same lyricism albeit without the same range, mastery and fluidity. Some of the material also hints at Brown's recordings with strings and female vocalists. The tracks with string arrangement are a tad on the smooth side, but Farinacci's trumpet rescues them from becoming mundane through his brilliant improvisations. The vocal number is reminiscent of Helen Merrill with Clifford Brown (Emarcy, 19554), but singer Hilary Kole lacks

Helen Merrill

vocals
b.1929

" data-original-title="" title="">Helen Merrill's emotional intensity. The leader elevates this track once again—if not to the CD's high point then to a level where it does not sound out of place, despite adding little to the whole.

The choice of material again reflects the balance between artistic creativity and popular appeal. Songs vary from Jacques Brel's "Ne me quitte pas" and

Astor Piazzolla

bandoneon
1921 - 1992

" data-original-title="" title="">Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango," to the

Billie Holiday

vocals
1915 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Billie Holiday standard, "Don't Explain," and

Ornette Coleman

saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," which represents the real high point of this record.

The sidemen include

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano,

Kenny Barron

piano
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Barron and

Lewis Nash

drums
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Lewis Nash, but despite being in the company of masters, Farinacci not only maintains his own but remains the dominant voice throughout, successfully interacting with these seasoned veterans during the ensemble work.

Despite the faults of a few, too-smooth string arrangements, an average vocal number and the debutant style of the leader, this impeccably mastered recording is a very promising first work by an artist who, if he maintains the momentum demonstrated here, may well become one the pillars of jazz in the near future.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Don't Explain; Libertango; Estate; Vision; Ne Me Quitte Pas; E Lucevan Le Stelle; Erghen Diado (Song Of Shopsko); Silent Cry; Love Dance; Bibo No Aozora; Lonely Woman; The Theme From The Pawnbroker.

Personnel

Dominick Farinacci

trumpet

Dominick Farinacci: trumpet, flugelhorn; Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Joe Locke: vibraphone; Kenny Barron: piano; James Genus: bass; Marc Johnson: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Jamey Haddad: percussion; Hilary Kole: vocals; Guilherme Monteiro: guitar; Rich DeRosa: strings and horns conductor.

Album information

Title: Lovers, Tales & Dances | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: KOCH Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Tunto Performs in Helsinki
< Previous

Ladies From Afar
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.