PAUL PERESS, The New Master of the Groove

"First impressions can sometimes be deceiving, but first listens are never wrong. When initially discovering this hidden gem of an album I thought: Latin/Brazilian grooves - could be interesting. But then when I read that the artist was the drummer I feared that it would be a cacophony of noise and the music would be lost. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! Paul Peress is not only a masterful composer and producer, but he is also a GROOVEMASTER in the highest order. From the opening notes of 'Norwegian Wood' I realized that this was a very special album. Gabriela Anders' vocals are a 20 on a scale of 10, and Mark Whitfield always brings something intriguing on guitar (as does Jeff Golub on his tracks!), but the thing that hooked me from the start was Paul's disciplined music-making as a drummer. Throughout the entire disk Paul masterfully drives each tune, tastefully, thoughtfully and lyrically, without overpowering any of the other musicians. It's not until tracks 5 'Visions of Brazil' and 7 'Mambo Mio' that he steps it up a notch to show some of the virtuosity that has made him a regular show-stopper at many of the Latin Jazz festivals and in demand on the New York City Jazz circuit. LISTEN TO THE ALBUM and get transported to a magical, Brazilian sort of musicians' 'Margaritaville' where along with the heavenly bodies, good libations and perfect weather you are also enveloped by musical virtuosity at every turn. Paul's song selection for this disk includes some original compositions intertwined with some classics. His interpretations are tasteful, grooving, and especially in the case of 'Norwegian Wood' incredibly exciting. Through some research I learned that this album was in the hunt for several Grammy Awards this year. Though it didn't make the final cut, it should be on your CD player's 'A List' for many years to come (or at least until Paul releases his next disk!). Whether at home, driving, at work or a romantic interlude, this album fits perfectly into any environment..."

Reviewer: jeff millar-sax