Album Review: Tres Libre from Dan Moretti

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Album: Tres Libre
Artist: Dan Moretti
Label: Roots Grooves Records
Website:  danmoretti.com

Keyboardist, saxophonist, composer, and leader Dan Moretti unveils his twentieth recording Tres Libre with all original compositions written by Moretti.  His fusion of jazz, funk, blues, and soul make for a multi-faceted excursion for the aural senses.

From the percolating grooves of "Mumbo Jumbo" to the smooth rippling wails of Moretti's tenor sax on "The Inner Side" and into the jittery palpitations of Marcus Santos's pandeiro playing along “Pandeiro-Funk,” Moretti offers a diverse range of musical expressions with Bruce Bartlett's guitar chords adding tingling accents along the melodic bed.  The soulful sonorous of Moretti's saxophone engulfs audiences in familiar terrain, intimating a vulnerability that resonates with listeners.

Traversing into a Latin-infused soundscape, the tribal beats of "Escrito Jazz Libre” intergrate the driving congas of Cuban percussionist Jorge Najarro and Cuban baby-bass player Hernando Isaza Cano while Moretti improvises octane-fueled tweets on the alto saxophone over them. The bluesy swagger of "When You Leave This World” is helmed by Moretti's tenor sax.  His jazz-inspired interpretation of this traditional Indian Bhajan emotes a reverence that audiences can latch onto profoundly.  The closing track "The Missing Breath” shows Moretti on three tenor saxophones, brimming with a church-like choral. The blissful tune is influenced by one of Moretti’s favorite artists, Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek.

Moretti and his crew shine a bright light on creative improvising that is harmonious and ambient.  His latest release combines contemporary and traditional phrasing, looming familiar and mind-opening patterns.  Displaying a broader range of expressions, Moretti demonstrates growth as a composer, a musician, and a leader.

Musicians:
Dan Moretti - keyboards and saxophones
Marty Ballou - electric bass
Marty Richards - drums
Ray Gennari - bass
Marcus Santos - pandeiro
Bruce Bartlett - guitar
Michael Farquharson - electric bass
Jorge Najarro - congas
Hernando Isaza Cano - baby-bass


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