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ROSSANO SPORTIELLO / EDDIE METZ / NICKI PARROTT It's a Good Day Arbors Jazz ARCD 19431

1. Theme from “Grumpy Old Men” End Title

2. Pick Yourself Up

3. Quintessence

4. Lavender Blue

5. This Is No Laughing Matter

6. It’s a Good Day

7. Don’t Love Me

8. Theme from 2nd Movement of the Piano Sonata N. 8 Op. 13 by Beethoven

9. Too Late Now

10. For You, For Me, Forevermore

11. Last Night When We Were Young

12. Invention

13. Jesu, Joy of Men’s Desiring

 

Rossano Sportiello – Piano

Eddie Metz – Drums

Nicki Parrott – Bass, vocals

 

Having seen all three of these musicians at various Blackpool Jazz Parties, I know their strengths and their ability to combine into an excellent piano trio. The group is led by Italian pianist Rossano Sportiello, a very lyrical player with a delicate touch: limpid in ballads and twinkling in faster numbers. Nicki Parrott provides a two-for-one deal, being a fine vocalist as well as bassist. Her vocals have touches of Blossom Dearie’s understatement, with an attractive vibrato. And drummer Eddie Metz keeps the rhythm moving along, mostly using brushes but occasionally breaking out into restrained but effective drum solos, as on track 8.

Rossano chooses a delightfully varied repertoire, including some jazz standards, an original (Invention) and his adaptations of two classical pieces – by Beethoven and Bach. The choice of songs avoids the hackneyed. It is good to hear such comparative rarities as Lavender Blue and Don’t Love Me. And the classical pieces swing gently without harming the original melodies.

This is an album of disciplined yet relaxed and endearing music.

Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk

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