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Mike Melito: The Right Time

By Dan Bilawsky
November 28, 2011
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When the word "predictable" shows up in music reviews, it's often wrongly viewed as the kiss of death. Somewhere along the way, "defying expectations" or "charting new territory" have become the quickest way to gain recognition, but the tried-and-true shouldn't be sold short. On The Right Time, veteran drummer Mike Melito and his band deliver a mixture of new numbers, rarely heard tunes and classic jazz gems, and, though many of them basically rely on a fairly predictable head-solos-head format or a slight variant, that's not a bad thing.

Melito and company proudly carry the bop and hard bop torches as they swing their way through this music, and nary a weak link can be found among them. The front line of baritone saxophonist

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Basile and trumpeter

John Marshall

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">John Marshall automatically brings to mind the famed pairing of

Pepper Adams

saxophone, baritone
1930 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Pepper Adams and

Donald Byrd

trumpet
1932 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Donald Byrd simply based on the instrumentation and style, but guitarist

Bob Sneider

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Sneider alters the sonic chemistry of their heads when he joins the party. On the other side of the equation, pianist

Dino Losito

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Dino Losito, bassist

Neal Miner

bass, acoustic
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Neal Miner and Melito all prove to be experts at playing both sides of the field, lending solid support to the soloists while also displaying excellent on-the-spot credentials when stepping forward into the spotlight.

While The Right Time comes and goes with mid-tempo, neglected

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane works—opening with the saxophonist's "Pristine" and closing with his "Just For The Love"—the music in the middle comes from a variety of sources.

Sonny Clark

piano
1931 - 1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Clark's "Royal Flush" brings some swaggering swing into the program, British trumpeter

The Osian Roberts/Steve Fishwick Quintet

trumpet
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">The Osian Roberts/Steve Fishwick Quintet's "New Bossa" puts a taste of Brazil on the menu, and the lone ballad, "All The Way," showcases Marshall's lyrical trumpet work.

Gigi Gryce

saxophone
1927 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gigi Gryce's "Nica's Tempo," one of several classic tunes written in honor of jazz heroine Pannonica De Koenigswarter, also serves as a fitting reminder of the genius of its composer, while a caffeinated take on

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown's "Daahoud" proves to be the perfect mid-album pick-me-up.

In the end, the fact that Melito stays his course throughout the album, delivering quality musical craftsmanship in predictable fashion, plays to his advantage. The Right Time is proof that walking where others have tread doesn't have to have a negative connotation attached to it if the musical performances have merit.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Pristine; Royal Flush; New Bossa; Night Owls; Daahoud; All The Way; Nica's Tempo; Tailwind; Just For The Love.

Personnel

Mike Melito

drums

Mike Melito: drums; John Marshall: trumpet; Frank Basile: baritone saxophone; Neal Miner: bass; Bob Sneider: guitar; Dino Losito: piano.

Album information

Title: The Right Time | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Weebop

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