Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Russ DeFilippis: The Sorcerer's Accomplice

Russ DeFilippis: The Sorcerer's Accomplice

By Edward Blanco
February 6, 2016
View read count

Russ DeFilippis: The Sorcerer's Accomplice

Jazz guitarist and educator Russ DeFilippis from Stony Point, New York delivers his second album as leader with the appropriately titled The Sorcerer's Accomplice, a ten-piece project of smooth-styled jazz with a Brazilian flair. Why is the album title so apropos? In 2012, DeFilippis met fellow educator, composer and pianist

Richard Sorce

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Richard Sorce at a rehearsal of Sorce's Latin-jazz compositions which, eventually became part of Sorce's recording A Place I've Never Been (Ever Jazz Records, 2015).

For this recording, DeFilippis enlists Sorce's help borrowing ten of the pianist's light Brazilian compositions, includes Sorce as a player and arranger and draws on the same horn section that appeared on the pianists' previous album. Accordingly, in some respects, the guitarist, as the title implies, becomes an active willing participant in the commission of a delightfully engaging musical production which this album certainly is.

While the degree of involvement from Sorce is major, this is still unquestionably, the guitarist's album and the beginning "Where You Are" establishes this fact with pronounced play from DeFilippis accompanied by the three horn section of

Vinnie Cutro

trumpet
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Vinnie Cutro on trumpet,

Mark Friedman

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Friedman on the alto and Erick Storckman on trombone.

There are three beautiful heart-felt balladic pieces of which the first is "So Little Time" featuring the guitarist on warm chords as Sorce plays the soft keys, steady bass lines from

Bill Moring

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Moring and Bobby Deitch on drums and light cymbal accents. The other two gorgeous ballads are "One More Lifetime" and the gentle finale of "How Do You Like That?"

In keeping with its namesake, "Sing" is the only vocal of the set showcasing the lush voice of

Kerry Linder

" data-original-title="" title="">Kerry Linder who sings in both English and Portuguese. DeFilippis demonstrates his prowess on the custom Mark Campellone archtop guitar with elegant riffs on the sprite "Love You Too." The taste of Brasil is obvious on many tracks but none as assertive as on "Celebracao" and "Go Figure."

Other notable tunes—all keepers by the way—are "When I'm With You" and "Until Forever," capping a thoroughly attention-grabbing and melodic session of light jazz. Though Russ DeFilippis plays the music of Richard Sorce on The Sorcerer's Accomplice, It's DeFilippis' mastery of the guitar that are really on display here, as he interprets an absolutely beautiful selection of music with grace and swagger.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Where You Are; So Little Time; Sing; Love You Too; When I'm With You; Celebracao; One More Time; Go Figure; Until Forever; How Do You Like That?

Personnel

Russ DeFilippis

Russ DeFilippis: guitars; Richard Sorce: piano, electric piano; Bill Moring: bass; Bobby Deitch: drums; Amarildo Costa: percussion; Vinnie Cutro: trumpet (1, 9); Mark Friedman: alto saxophone (1, 9); Erick Storckman: trombone (1); Bob Ferrel: trombone (9); Kerry Linder: vocals (3).

Album information

Title: The Sorcerer's Accomplice | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Ruby Lee's Dishes up Blues, Jazz and...
< Previous

Jaco Pastorius: Jaco
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.