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Dan Moretti has one of those resumes that make
the rest of us seem like layabouts -composer, producer, professor
and, above all, saxophone player of surpassing skill and versatility.
He's worked with pop artists as disparate as Diana Ross, Tony Bennett
and The Temptations‑and he's traded jazz choruses with the likes
of Dave Liebman and Mike Stem.
Now
he's front and center in That's Right, his appropriately titled new release for 1201 Music. This is definitely his show. He did much of the studio engineering
and shouldered most of the solo responsibilities. Here is Moretti at his
most relaxed and understated‑working with equal facility on tenor,
soprano and flute, bringing to all three a creamy tone and fluid
technique.
Moretti starts on tenor for "Cynthia," a sassy, slightly
funky tune by keyboardist Bill Cunliffe, who contributes some nice
passages in support of Moretti's fluid sax. lead.
That tone is the first thing you notice on,
"When Is it Real." It's an excellent vehicle for Dan -
wistful,
long‑lined, a showcase for his warm soprano style. The tasteful
bass is by Michael Farquharson.
One could go on and on about this
set - Moretti's
easy virtuosity on tenor and soprano in "Tiara," his
freewheeling last chorus in "Los Gatos Hills," the fast
passages and unexpected harmonies of "Crusade," the soaring
solo work on "Deb."
What it all comes down to is artistry. Dan
Moretti is very much in the easy adult contemporary groove. It's totally
accessible the first time you play it, but there's nothing predictable
about it. It's full of subtle musicianship that reveals itself over time
and rewards repeated listening. Which is a long-winded way of
saying that the guy the CD is named for knows what he's doing.
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