Album Review: Globetrotter from Luca di Luzio

Album:  Globetrotter
Artist:  Luca di Luzio
Label:  Self-Released
Website:  www.lucadiluzio.it 

Guitarist Luca di Luzio's upcoming CD, Globetrotter  is an assortment of contemporary jazz tunes bridging funk, blues, soul, and Latin music.  Comprised of a few jazz standards and a handful of original works written by Luca di Luzio, a prolific guitar player who studied different styles of music, the recording expresses his personal vision of jazz guitar based on melody and groove.  Joining Di Luzio in his vision are bass guitarist Jimmy Haslip, drummer Dave Wecki, keyboardist George Whitty, and saxophonists Max Ionata and Alessandro Fariselli.

From dance-funk numbers like "Jazzlife" and "Elisir" to the soft billows and reflective moods projected in "Smile" and " Buena Suerte," Di Luzio's artistry stems from his vision to make music that is aesthetically pleasing.  "Sunshower," a tune written by Kenny Barron, is a prime example of Di Luzio's ability to meld the instruments parts into a series of soothing soundscapes.  The shimmery tone of Ionata's saxophone swirls make listeners feel like they are on a beachfront resort, taking in the pleasing vista of ocean waves gently lapping along the shoreline.

The Latin beats kneaded along "Pop Fla" are adorned in the glittering strands of Di Luzio's chord patterns, threading hoppity jaunts through the track.  The themed riffs infuse a jovial spirit into the melody.  Breezy and gentle, Di Luzio's guitar chords express floating sensations along "Naima," a standard composed by John Coltrane.  Waves of ethereal-bound soundscapes glide effortlessly as Haslip's bass guitar punctuates the melody with bubbly divots.  Stretching his wings into R&B/soul-inspired harmonic forms on 'Mr. Brown," a tribute to guitarist Dean Brown, Di Luzio displays an affection for melodies with a groove that moves to the natural rhythm of the human heart.

Every track on the recording has a special meaning to Di Luzio.  Together, the assortment showcases his versatility as a guitarist and composer.   Creating a jazz hybrid, Di Luzio melds funk, blues, soul, and Latin music, creating an atmosphere fraught with pleasing aesthetics.  A graduate of the Conservatorio di Musica Frescobaldi di Ferrara, a music conservatory in Italy, Di Luzio honed a vision that speaks the language of the human heart. 

Musicians: 
Luca di Luzio - guitar
Jimmy Haslip - bass guitar
Dave Wecki - drums
George Whitty - keyboards
Max Ionata - tenor saxophone
Alessandro Fariselli - saxophone