Gerard Carelli
Lucky To Be Me

There's something timeless about crooning. I call it beauty. Making sad songs beautiful has long been the domain of the vocal-jazz ensemble, and Gerard Carelli has opened a shop on Main Street with his latest release, Lucky to Be Me. Featuring excellent arrangements, solid instrumentals, and a time-tested mix of show tunes and jazz standards, this record consistently delivers memorable and inspired renditions of jazz and pop classics.

The album has plenty of hug-and-sway, from the closing-time shuffle of "It Never Entered My Mind" to the elegant title track, featuring pianist/arranger John Oddo. In fact, every track features Oddo's arrangements, allowing each instrument to shine. Percussionist James Saporito highlights the Latin-jazz "So In Love," accenting the brash horns and subdued saxophone with equal skill. The original composition "Well Worth Waiting For" is an aptly titled modern waltz, taking jazz to the threes with an Elizabethan grace.

There's no denying the great instrumental skill and inspiration of this collection, but the vocals are not quite up to par. Carelli's weakness is the relatively shallow timbre of his voice, especially in tunes that are otherwise reminiscent of crooning's deities. The well-arranged accompaniment of "New York, New York" is lost as one ponders the firmly contralto vocals and winders, "Where's Frankie?"

He's gone, but the music and the legacy live on.

— Dante Murphy

Visit the band at www.1800gcsings.com