Johnny Valentino
Stingy Brim
Omni Tone Records

Guitar and Mandolin master Johnnie Valentino has come up with the unique idea of making a cd commemorating the demise of the tuba's role of supplying the bass line in jazz. What he's done is create a unique sounding tuba/organ quintet that is brimming with a kitchen sink full of ideas.

Mixing Bob Sheppard's woody clarinet and edgy tenor, Randy Jones' tuba and Mick Rossi's B3 and occasional harmonium, Valentino creates a full palate of intriguing and offbeat moods. Some of the songs, such as "Dog Eggs", have a tongue in cheek New Orleans feel, with it's clippety clop beat buttressed against the moody harmonium enveloping the clarinet and tuba solos. In contrast,"Where, When and How" is haunting and nocturnal, with abstract guitar, sax and percussion meanderings weaving in and out. Valentino's "Return", with it's wheezing harmonium and dusty organ features eery work by Jones. The most accessible, ironically, the Spheric "All Monk's Children", with it's catchy melody and rhythm. All in all, there are a lot of interesting ideas, that just need a bit more clarity on the next try. A great idea that almost makes it.


-George Harris


Track Listing: Stingy Brim; Dog Eggs; Oyster Bay; 4M2; Return; Stone Balloons; Where When & How; Coyote Cowboy; Off Balance; All Monk's Children.


Personnel: Johnnie Valentino: guitar, mandolin; Mick Rossi: Hammond B3 organ, harmonium, percussion; Mark Ferber: drums, percussion; Bob Sheppard: clarinet, tenor saxophone; Randy Jones: tuba.