Album review: Lou Marini and The Italian Groovers - Playtime (Azzura Music)

Lou Marini (tenor/soprano sax,  flute); Alessandro Chiappetta (guitar); Gianluno Di Ienno (Hammond B3); Enzo Zirilli (drums)+ Alex “Kid” Gariazzo (guitar, vocals tks 1-3)

Woodwind artist “Blue” Lou Marini is one of the most recognized musicians in the world. From his early days on Saturday Night Live – who could forget his gilded-faced entry on Steve Martin’s King Tut? - to his bravura film performances and world tours with the Blues Brothers. With Playtime, Marini joins forces with a trio of Italian-based musicians plus guest to deliver a dozen superb tracks - all Marini originals, save one. The vibe here ranges from free to funk and to straight-ahead, all superbly performed.

Row, Row, Row Your Blues opens the date. Its free-for-all intro sends the team into a quirky Zappa-esque melody.The influence probably emanated from Marini having performed on four albums with Zappa. Gianluca Di Ienno’s Hammond and Marini evolve into a free-frolicking pas a deux over drummer Enzo Zirill’s se-work. It’s a fun, yet oddball track tone-setter. 

On the Verge is a funk groove interspersed with a prestissimo chunk where Marini’s curved soprano is doubled in unison with guitar. Marini rockets off into a fierce solo. Guitarist Alex “Kid” Gariazzo burns a hip solo as does Di Iernno. Tootsie Flootsie has Marini’s flute and B3 running down a slick, fast melody. Guitarist Alessandro Chiapetta and Marini, now on flute, solo over a busy and driving Zirilli bed. It’s a killer track. Things calm down with Point of View, a slower rock statement with a blue-toned tenor and guitar in unison. There’s a spatial and dream-like element here. It’s an easy, and easy to like, track. L’Ucello D’ Oro (“The Golden Bird,” a Brothers Grimm fairy tale) brings out Marini again on flute over a samba groove. This is a highlight track among many on the date.

Marini’s playing across the session has a free-spirited flair to it. That’s his personality as well we know. He moves effortlessly across all three axes - tenor, soprano, and flute. The Groovers rhythm section are all A-1 performers and they certainly deliver the goods. There’s a palpable live feel to the tracks here. That is because the session was recorded live in a Milan, Italy studio.

The hip-hoppity On Cat’s Paws is a cool platform for Marini’s flute as groove merchant, soon unisoned along with guitar. The tune seems to want to break out into a straight-ahead, but keeps its funky vibe. Tenor sax is the order of the day on  Here’s That Rainy Day. Marini, laid-back and somewhat subdued, provides a very tasty portrait glissing and gliding over the melody. The Rhodes-like keys accompany. A fine track. The closer on the album is Blue Halloween. A slow moody and “flutey” landscape, the cut has sax doubled with guitar on an exotic melody line. This is a meditative track that, while moving from darker and uncertain, offers an ending of musical hope.

Playtime is an utterly delightful tonal buffet delivered by these marvelous musicians. Mangia bene. Nick Mondello