Canadian pianist Mario Romano—founder and president of the Castlepoint Group—is well-known in the Toronto Italian-Canadian community—not so much as a pianist, but as a major player in the real estate development industry. Valentina, is Romano's first album as a leader, returning to jazz music after nearly four decades of deferring to development deals. While unfamiliar to most jazz audiences, during the early '70s he was a highly regarded young gun on the Toronto jazz scene. A serious and committed musician, Romano possesses an unquestioned command of the piano, gained from studies at the Royal Conservatory and York University.

Joining the leader on this first outing are three of Canada's finest jazz musicians—each a star in their own right. American-born/Canadian saxophonist