|
REVIEWS:
(Read what the critics
say).
NEW: Click
here to read a CD review about Tony's newest CD: Tony Pacini Trio Live At
Jimmy Mak's
Click
here to read a CD review of "Piano A La Carte"
Click
here to read a CD review of: Tony Pacini Trio "I'll Close My Eyes"
Click here to read
a CD review of "Live: An Evening With The
Mel Brown Quartet"
The CD "I'll Close My Eyes" with Ed Bennett on bass and
Tim Rap on drums featuring several original compositions as well
as time honored standards has been praised by jazz critic Dick
Bogle as "Fresh and riveting from beginning to end"
and "Representative of his (Tony
Pacini) maturity and
immense skills."
"Piano A La
Carte" (Tony's first solo piano CD) has been described by music columnist
Kyle O'Brien as "a disc of
warm beauty, lighthearted strides, lush chordal structures and memorable
melodies, all brought together by Pacini's sophisticated touch."
Tim
Duroche of Willamette Week describes the recording "Girl
Talk" as: "The cream of Portland's bebop
crop-featuring fleet, Phineas Newborn-esque pianist Tony
Pacini."
George
Fendel writes in "Jazz Scene" (Oct. 2000) "Tony
hits the bulls eye with a varied program of standards and
originals" and "I've been waiting a long time for Tony
to document Portland's swingingest piano on this long overdue
but worth the wait CD".
NEW REVIEW:
Tony Pacini Trio Live At Jimmy Mak's January
2007 edition CD review from Jazzscene Magazine.
***** (5 stars
out of 5)
By:
George Fendel
“This
is the album Tony's fans just knew would come along sooner or later. And let's
hope there are "more from where this came from," so to speak.
You see, this album gives Tony's ever-swinging trio (Ed Bennett, bass and Tim
Rap, drums) an opportunity to record live before an attentive, enthusiastic
audience. It also was an occasion upon which Tony had the privilege of playing a
top of the line Yamaha, a piano valued at more than I paid for my first two
houses! Given these plusses, Tony and his pals were at the top of their game,
and having been in his audience that night, I can attest to that. It doesn't
hurt at all that Tony chooses such evergreens as Freddie Freeloader,
Stompin' At The Savoy, a funky Love For Sale and the
rarely heard Brotherhood Of Man, all from the upbeat list. To
these, add gorgeous renditions of Percy Faith's Maybe September and
Thad Jones' tender A Child Is Born, both on the ballad side of
things. Two expressive Pacini originals illustrate Tony’s facility for writing
attractive and cohesive melody lines, Beyond The Veil and First
Light. Tony Pacini has grown in all facets of his music in recent years.
He’s getting more gigs and with his plentiful musical gifts strongly
surfacing, deserves them. Catch him at Jimmy Mak's or Wilf's sometime soon. He’s
something special!”
-George
Fendel, Jazzscene Magazine January 2007
NEW REVIEW:
Tony Pacini Trio Live At Jimmy Mak's January
2007 CD review from The Skanner
***** (5 stars
out of 5)
By:
Dick Bogle
Pianist
Tony Pacini could. Perhaps Pacini should. But knowing him, my guess is Tony
won’t add a hip swagger to his walk upon the release of this — his finest
work to date.
The nine tracks contained herein are swinging proof that even the best on the
Portland scene can take their performance to a higher level. Pacini opens with
the classic “Freddie Freeloader,” which he plays emphatically
backed by his regular rhythm section of bassist Ed Bennett and drummer Tim Rap,
both of whom are fully integrated into the goings on. Their support is not
unlike that which Ahmad Jamal gets from Jamey Cammack and Idris Muhammad.
Pacini pours his soul into the ballad “Maybe September.” Rap
uses his brushes with always just the right touch. There may be only a few
ballads as beautiful as “A Child is Born” on which Pacini
begins alone and is joined by Bennett and Rap for a treatment befitting that
gorgeous ballad.
The album highlight is “Love for Sale,” a rhythmic exercise
for all concerned. But, it’s Pacini’s refined sense of swing that guides the
tune to its fullest exploration of its possibilities.
There are two Pacini compositions included. “Beyond the Veil”
is a moody but elegant selection. “First Light” speaks to a
dawning of a new day or new beginning in a bright, uplifting way; a listener can
feel encouraged while hearing it.
This recording is more than a showcasing of trio work at its best. It is,
instead, an invitation to come hear them live. That opportunity will occur
Saturday, Jan. 27 at Jimmy Mak’s for Pacini’s CD release party.
-Dick
Bogle, The Skanner January 2007
The CD: "Tony
Pacini Trio Live At Jimmy Mak's" is now available with secure online
shopping here at tonypacini.com
To view Tony's CDs click
here.
NEW:
Friday, May 19th 2006 (Read
below)
"Tony Pacini Hits
His Stride"
"Piano A La
Carte"-solo piano.
By Kyle O'Brien
-The Oregonian
"Something's
wonderfully retro about Tony Pacini's piano playing. His copious talents evoke
earlier eras of jazz, when bop ruled in the most swingin' sense.
On
his previous trio recording, Pacini can be heard courting the likes of Bill
Evans, Gene Harris and Bud Powell, all the while developing his own voice.
On
his second disc as a solo artist, "Piano a la Carte," Pacini steps
back even further into the jazz canon, bringing a renewed sense of melody to
classic tunes.
Pacini
is best known to Portland audiences as the pianist and musical director in the
Mel Brown Quartet. His arrangements and stellar playing are featured on the
quartet's disc "Girl Talk."
But Pacini is also a fine artist
on his own. "Piano a la Carte" is an impressively mature slice of
musical history, especially coming from a Gen-Xer. The disc, a solo piano outing
as the title suggests, treats standard tunes with reverence and a tender touch,
showing a softer side of Pacini's persona while cementing him as one of the top
pianists and arrangers on the Portland jazz scene.
"Piano a la
Carte" was intended to be a trio album, but executive producer Gary Fantz
helped persuade Pacini to fly solo, without technical overdubs or splicing. The
result is a disc of warm beauty, lighthearted strides, lush chordal structures
and memorable melodies, all brought together by Pacini's sophisticated touch.
"Gary
kind of suggested making pretty piano music -- kind of salute a certain history
of jazz piano," Pacini said.
There
are the obvious standards, like the drawn-out version of "Body &
Soul" and the plaintive delivery of "Skylark." But in between are
gems such as the bluesy "Lullaby of the Leaves" and the lean-into
swing of "Come Rain or Come Shine," plus a couple of Pacini originals
including the sweet ballad "Golden Boy."
"In
the studio I had fixed ideas about a handful of tunes, then I just played,"
Pacini said.
What
may be most impressive for fans is Pacini's use of stride piano, that infectious
old-time rhythmic style. He looked to Art Tatum and other pianists of an early
era for inspiration on such tunes as "Eastside Westside."
"I
think my truest followers and fans have heard me do hints of (stride). But most
of the jazz community thinks of me in one style, going for the bluesy-meets-bop
kind of stuff; stride is hard to do. Guys like Dave Frishberg make it look so
easy."
While
this is a new sound for Pacini, it's something he had planned on doing
eventually, even if not so soon in his solo career. Next up: a new Mel Brown
Quartet album, and later a follow-up trio album. But first, a little quiet
music."
-KYLE
O'BRIEN, The Oregonian.
"Piano A La Carte"
(a collection of solo piano by Tony Pacini) is now available with secure online
shopping here at tonypacini.com
To view Tony's CDs click
here.
"Tony
Pacini: The Ivories Are Sure To Get A Sound Workout"
By
Barabara Mitchell
-Portland
Tribune (Read below)
"Tony
Pacini is a fixture of the local jazz scene-a Portland native who attended the
prestigious Berklee School of Music, the pianist and musical director of
legendary jazz drummer Mel Brown’s Quartet and leader of his own Tony Pacini
Trio. He’s also about to celebrate the release of his first solo piano
project, “Piano a la Carte.”
The
retro-cozy confines of Wilf’s (the bar adjacent to Union Station) is the
perfect environment for experiencing Pacini’s fluid and expressive playing.
Whether
interpreting standards like Duke Ellington’s “Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From
Me” (which opens “Piano a la Carte”) or his own songs like “Golden
Boy” or album closer “Goodbyes,” Pacini is a master of his material.
Jaunty numbers and moody ballads come to life equally under his masterful
playing.
While
he’s been a featured player on many albums, “Piano a la Carte” is the
first recording to feature Pacini exclusively in solo context. It’s lovely and
mesmerizing, the kind of emotive playing that’s equally stunning and
impressive whether you’re a jazz fanatic or a newcomer to the genre."
-BARBARA
MITCHELL, Portland Tribune.
"A Night To
Remember" -The Tony Pacini Trio at Wilf's Restaurant & Bar Friday, May
19th, 2006
By Steve Kullowatz
-Jazzscene
Magazine (Read below)
"I walked into Wilf's just in
time to catch Tony's take on Lullaby of the Leaves, but since the place
was absolutely packed, I had to listen from the back of the restaurant. He
still sounded great. I sat with a very nice couple who were lucky enough
to have wandered in on the right night. Pacini is respected among
musicians and listeners alike as one of the top jazz pianists in the area (I
think it goes way beyond the Northwest, though). Tony was joined by two of
the best sidemen around, Ed Bennett (bass) and Tim Rap (drums). Following
that trio tune, Tony launched into a series of solos - a showcase of his skills
featured in his new solo piano CD release "Piano A La Carte."
This particular set included Pure Imagination, Eastside Westside, Emily, and
Moonlight in Vermont. Ed and Tim came back in to help out on Do
Nothin' Till You Hear From Me, Ed's bass solo, solid and assertive.
The final creation of the set started out with Bobby Timmons' Dat Dere,
Tony slamming the keys, Tim hot on the tempo, the whole thing built up till you
knew it couldn't get any higher - the crowd absolutely roared while the piano
faded down and the bass took over keeping everyone glued to the stage (which
really isn't there, but you'd swear these guys were eight feet in the air).
Tony moved from that into a classical piece and from there, built the fire up
again with Clifford Brown's Daahoud. We still had two sets to go.
My, Oh My.
At the break, I managed to commandeer
a table about four feet from the keyboard with no obstructions to my view.
To watch Tony Pacini play, even if you were deaf, would be a rare treat.
Seeing his hands poised, ready to take the next solo, watching his eyes
calculating where he wants to go with it, and then seeing him dive into it
full-speed with no hesitation - it was just great to see a man enjoy his work so
much.
The second set started with a long
piano intro, barely brushing the familiar melody of Just Friends, but
you caught the tune as soon as the bass and drums came aboard. This was an
up-tempo arrangement that had everybody bouncing. Tim's stick work intense
and masterful, Ed not losing one inch to anyone on bass, and I thought the whole
trio might get picked up for speeding. On his bass solo, Ed moved all
around the melody in a veritable display of virtuosity, and then Tony and Tim
traded fours, driving each other (and the crowd) into a frenzy. This was
one great tune.
Lil Darlin' showed up
next as a soft ballad, very slow, deliberate and lush, then moved up a bit,
featuring nice interplay between piano and bass, then on to a piano solo during
which Tony's fingers tickled and caressed the keys with tender affection - eight
people in audience fell in love, some with each other. Just to move the
crowd from an "Ahhh" mood to a "Ohhhh" mood, Tony picks up
the tempo with his left hand, double-timing with the right, then fading back to
slow and gentle. Ed's bow was used to great effect during this passage.
Those grouped around the musicians were riveted, but watching one
couple, with a lovely young woman affectionately leaning on her guy's shoulder,
dreamy-eyed, told the whole story. The ending had Ed and Tony playing the
same chords, perfectly matched. I knew how the young woman felt.
Even though many of us had died and gone on to heaven, Tony kept on playing,
moving into a strong, bluesy Teach Me Tonight - once during the bass
solo, which was lovely in a higher register, Tony looked over at me and gave me
a sly look as if to say, "Is this fun or what?," then he pounded out a
solid finish a la Gene Harris. This was beyond fun.
The second set ended with a great
rendition of Georgia, moving into a hot Sweet Georgia Brown
that had my leg bouncing at about 90 miles and hour. Very inventive and
featuring great work by Tim Rap trading back and forth with Tony. The
third set was every bit as fine as the first two and featured some nice solo
work by Mr. Pacini on Skylark and If I Loved You. This
was a night to remember.
Wilf's employees were marvelous in
serving the crowd and being unobtrusive at the same time. This is a great,
smoke-free venue for cool jazz and enjoying an evening out - great food,
incredible music."
-STEVE KULLOWATZ,
editor: Jazzscene Magazine.
Pianist Pacini debuts CD Friday, January 5, 2001
By LYNN DARROCH,
special to The Oregonian (Read below):
"It's easy to understand why drummer Mel Brown employs Tony Pacini as his pianist and musical director. Guitarist Dan
Faehnle, formerly touring with Diana
Krall, regularly used Pacini in his group, too, as did the late great bassist Leroy
Vinnegar.
Like his star employers, the Portland native is a swinging, straight-ahead player with an affinity for the blues. At times recalling the late Gene Harris, Pacini's debut CD, "I'll Close My Eyes," documents his place among the first rank of regional pianists operating deep within the jazz tradition.
It's a skill he's honed night after night on the bandstand in the company of other top instrumentalists, spinning out variations on familiar themes that include jazz standards such as "Line for Lyons" and the vintage pop of "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," which appear on this CD.
But such ballads as "Chelsea Bridge" and several of the album's five originals reveal another side to
Pacini. His "Pastel for Two," for instance, draws from the impressionistic Bill Evans' tradition with its pretty, flowing figures in the right hand. His stately, restrained rendition of Michel Legrand's "You Must Believe in Spring" also exhibits his taste for lush chords and quiet beauty. And Pacini's "Song for Marci" may be the prettiest melody in the collection.
The beauty never interferes with the beat, though, nor does a more abstract, inventive version of "I'll Remember April" stop the syncopated propulsion at the heart of the straight-ahead tradition. For the most part Pacini ornaments rather than deconstructs familiar melodies, lending freshness with twists in time and new melodic lines.
A well-schooled player, Pacini attended Boston's Berklee College of Music and has worked with a variety of great musicians. Here he displays that wide range to showcase his many talents. His true colors emerge in "Blues Medley," which contains the hard bop of Lee Morgan's "Speedball" (complete with a couple of Gene Harris licks), in the soul-jazz of "Mr.
B.T." and in the album's lead song, "Time to Swing," where he rides the big, round tones of Ed Bennett's bass and Tim Rap's tasty drums. Bennett is featured often, but the album belongs to
Pacini, whose performance demonstrates why he has become another jewel in Portland's mainstream jazz crown."
-BY
LYNN DARROCH, The Oregonian.
The Tony Pacini Trio
CD: "I'll Close My Eyes" is available with secure online
shopping here at tonypacini.com. To preview this and other Tony Pacini CDs click here.
Need a review in Japanese?
[CLICK HERE]
TO TOP OF PAGE
TO TOP OF PAGE
TO TOP OF PAGE
TO TOP OF PAGE
Step out and hear some live
jazz.
| 
