RICHIE VITALE'S "LIVE AT SMALLS" ON CD
Smalls Jazz Club, in Greenwich Village's West Side,
the heart of New York City, was the ideal setting for
Richie's second CD. With its intimate sound and appreciative
audience, it completed the search for the proper atmosphere
to record live jazz.
This time it featured on tenor long time friend Ralph
Lalama, Richie's current sideman in his quintet. Ralph
grew up in West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, graduated from
Youngstown State College and was recognized there for
his remarkable talent by the trumpeter/composer Thad
Jones, who encouraged him to come to New York. Since
that time, Ralph has reached a dignified status as a
widely respected master of the tenor, though his achievements
in the big bands of Woody Herman, Buddy Rich and the
Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra - now the Village Vanguard
Orchestra. His experience in small groups includes appearances
with Barry Harris, Harold Danko and Joe Morello (former
drummer with the Dave Brubeck Quartet), for whom he
worked with Richie for a number of years. The blend
Ralph and Richie get together was over twenty years
in the making.
The new comer to Richie's band is the bassist, Paul
Gill. His steady beat and lyrical solos rounded off
an already strong rhythm section. Paul, born in Baltimore,
Maryland, is a graduate of Towson State University with
a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance. His played
with such jazz luminaries as Stanley Turrentine, Sonny
Fortune, Benny Golson, Tom Harrell, John Hicks and Billy
Hart and was a regular member with vocalist, Jon Hendricks.
With Tardo Hammer on piano and Taro Okamoto on drums,
original members of his rhythm section from his first
CD "Dreamsville," back for repeat performances,
it was said by Peter Collins about Richie's "Live
at Smalls" CD, "The whole performance can
be called spirited -- a word that would be apt as well
to describe Richard Vitale, his remarkable musical talents,
and this splendid disk."
To Order By Mail:
Please send $15.00 plus $2.00 S&H (check or money
order) to:
VITALE on CD
400 West 43rd Street
Suite 8F
New York, NY 10036
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