ADAM...LET'S SWING! - THE METRONOMES

ADAMO... LET'S SWING! (CVLD214)

Author: A. A. V. V.
Performer: THE METRONOMES

Tracks

1 ADAMO Piccoli 3:42
2 IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT DIXIE? Marks - Irving - Lerner 2:11
3 STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT Cole - Mills 2:32
4 IPERTESO Piccoli 4:04
5 BUDDY JAMES Piccoli 5:08
6 FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE Bresler - Wynn 2:40
7 SINCE I FELL FOR YOU Johnson 6:11
8 SING SING SING Prima 4:04
9 LONELY FUCKING BLUES Piccoli 5:44
10 I’M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT Ellington - George - Hodges - James 2:50
11 BABY WON’T YOU PLEASE COME HOME Warfield - Williams 4:28
12 BLUEBERRY HILL Rose - Lewis - Stock 2:51
13 HARD TIMES Piccoli 3:50
14 HOW LONG HAS BEEN THIS GOIN’ ON? I. Gershwin – G. Gershwin 4:24
Total Time 55:18

Notes

Jazz. Original compositons by: Piccoli, Marks-Irving-Lerner, Cole-Mills, Bresler-Winn, Johnson, Prima, Ellington-George-Hodges-James, Warfield-Williams, Rose-Lewis-Stock, I. Gershwin-G. Gershwin.
The Metronomes: F. Michielin, C. Piccoli, S. Fedato.
Special Guests: M. Strano, Bonivento, M. Scomparin, L. Bottos, M. Gava.
M24bit/88.2kHz digital recording made at MagisterAreaStudios, Preganziol on May and June 2011 

Six years have passed since I reviewed their last work ("Ciao Fred" - 2005 - Velut Luna) and since then I wondered, after that magnificent tribute to Fred Buscaglione, which direction their music would take.
In the meantime, the three "Metronomes" have continued to entertain, make people sing, dance, laugh and cry those who had the opportunity to see and hear them live, with their vast repertoire of American and Italian swing, blues, boogie and jumpin' jive.
Even today, if I happen to attend one of their concerts, I can't help but tap my foot to follow the pounding rhythm of the drums kept by Stefano Fedato who, "laughing and joking" (as Jannacci would say), drags the trio towards increasingly daring speeds; I can't help but be amazed by Carlo Piccoli's singular and asymmetrical way of playing the piano, who seems to have a double bass instead of his left hand and who sways to the rhythm with his whole body, including his feet, while playing; I can't help but laugh in wonder at seeing a showman like Francesco Michielin, who, writhing like a madman, constantly alternates his scratchy, inspired and theatrical singing with the sound of the kazoo and who reproduces (for fun) any instrument with his voice (from trumpet to guitar); but, above all, I can't understand how the sound as a whole is so compact and complete despite there being only three of them!!
After the tribute to Fred Buscaglione's music that I mentioned, they return to the scene with this new work "Adamo .. let's swing!" which is the fifth album by the Venetian trio.
It's a varied album rich in novelties: first of all, the presence (for the first time) of some of their own compositions that reveal, at first listen, the fun and irony present in their music.
It is enough to listen to their songs, "Adamo" (a witty and irreverent picture ironically illustrated on the cover) and "Iperteso" (who among us has not encountered an "iperteso, dark glasses and hung-up suit" on the highway who flashes and honks because he wants to overtake?) or "Hard times" (which sounds like a 1920s ragtime piece enriched with vocal trumpets à la Mills Brothers) to understand the spirit behind their music.
I also unreservedly approve of the choice to introduce so-called "minor" songs like the amusing "Is it true what they say about Dixie?" by Al Jolson or the poignant blues "Since I Fell for You" taken from the repertoire of the great Dinah Washington, which in the Metronomes' version is an authentic masterpiece.
A careful selection of American classics of yesteryear (from Gershwin to Louis Prima, from Duke Ellington to Nat King Cole) completes the work, which presents numerous variations in tempo and rhythm, touching on ragtime, stomp, blues, swing and jumpin' jive and includes several citations with homages to Louis Armstrong, Tom Waits, Louis Prima, Al Jolson and, why not, Buscaglione, who remains one of their main inspirations.
A fresh and fun album in which the musicians themselves are the first to have fun. After all, it's enough to see The Metronomes live to realize that, when they play, they really enjoy themselves!
So ... Let's swing! 

Production: Velut Luna
Executive producer: Marco Lincetto
Recording, Mix & Mastering engineer: Marco Lincetto
Photo: Luca Calconi
Cover: Giorgio Munari
Design: l’image
Webmaster: Martino
Marketing: Francesco Pesavento
Sales Manager: Moreno Danieli & Patrizia Pagiaro
Press Agent: Emanuela Dalla Valle
World Wide Contacts: Cristiana Dalla Valle