Lou Mecca
Bridging the Gap
© 1999 Lou Mecca
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If you like Great Guitar - Lou Mecca is a Jazz Guitarist with a Classical Sensitivity.
tracks
- 1 Stompin At the Savoy
- 2 Nuages
- 3 Black Orpheus
- 4 Body & Soul
- 5 Lullaby of the Leaves
- 6 Whats New
- 7 Yesterdays
- 8 Angel Eyes
- 9 Green Dolphin Street
- 10 Tenderly
- 11 Wave
- 12 Moonlight in Vermont
- 13 Days of Wine & Roses
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Lou Mecca is one of the great jazz guitarists that came up through the late 40's and early 50's.
At a time when players like Johnny Smith & Tal Farlow were setting the standards, it is a measure of Mecca's enormous guitar talent that he not only landed a recording contract with Blue Note, but also replaced Farlow in the Gil Melle Quartet.
Indeed, his sensitive and insightful playing on the Melle Quartet sessions contributed much to the success of these historically important recordings.
Mecca disappeared from the public eye for several years but, like Farlow, continued to play, albeit infrequently.
THE LOU MECCA TRIO - BRIDGING THE GAP puts one in mind of the best of Johnny Smith & Tal Farlow recordings.
Lou has it all covered.
This CD confirms what a handful of enthusiast have always known, that Lou Mecca is a Jazz guitar great.
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Viva Lou Mecca!!!
author: Michael McLaughlinOne might think a 30 plus year layoff from the music business could make a player a little rusty. Not Lou Mecca. Mr. Mecca plays right through these 13 standards with stunning originality. While many of these tunes have been covered by just about everyone, the Mecca treatment breathes new life into every track. Highlights are too numerous to list here, but Tenderly and Angel Eyes are just too good not to mention. I dare to say that Lou's playing here is even better than his playing on the legendary Gil Mellé Quintet albums, or even his own fine Blue Note effort from the mid-fifties. Lou plays long and dazzlingly intricate single note lines and chord solos aplenty, often playing closely voiced chord tones with the flawless execution of his longtime friend Johnny Smith. Nat Garratano and Mickey Golizio offer top notch support as well as a few choice solos of their own throughout this session. Their contributions are invaluable. This is a highly recommended gem from an underrated champion of Jazz Guitar. Now go on...get it. Why not give the Lou Mecca Trio a try? You won't be sorry.
Incredible!
author: Robert JonesLou's playing is simply incredible. The whole CD is absolutely wonderful. Since receiving it a couple of weeks ago, I've listened to it daily. Not only is Lou's playing superb, so is his groups. The CD is also well recorded. I would recommend this CD to anyone who likes jazz guitar in the vein of Wes Montgomery or Kenney Burrell. Now, I want to hear more CDs from Lou.
Mr. Mecca.......This CD will be cherished by many...........Bravo !!!
author: Daniel Paul Voccia ( Malibu, California )I have heard of you over the years, now I finally get to hear the Great Guitarist Lou Mecca.... You are one Heavy Cat. Ciao, DPV
Wonderful, absolutely an artist, a Guru if you will.....
author: Michael J CatalanottoGreat Tunes..... Masterfully Done
One of the best collection of standards by a great guitarist.
author: Don PriceStompin At The Savoy is the first cut and sets a nice pace for what follows. Drummer Nat Garratano opts for brushes on this tune, and the usual trading solos is established. Nuages follows with a nice adaptation that seems like a combination of Johnny Smith and Tal Farlow . The solo by bassist Mickey Golizio serves to offset the usual guitar emphasis on this Django Reinhardt standard. I can feel a bit of Les Paul in this one as well. Black Orpheus (Manha de Carnival) is started with a Farlow-esk chord-melody treatment which moves into the trio backing Lou’s fine soloing on this Louis Bonfi Bossa. Body & Soul" is a tune which must be played by jazz players, and Lou offers his rich textural approach to the melody - showing us that a pianist need not be present to cover for the harmonic beauty of this song when performed by a guitarist who understands how to lead the listener through proper voice leading. Lullaby Of The Leaves" picks up almost instantly as a mood teaser, giving the trio an opportunity to swing in a highly suggestive blues feel. The trio again trade solos on this cut. What’s New has Lou shining on the ballad style of chord-melody once more. A most beautiful, soulful interlude here. Yesterdays starts with bassist Golizio stating briefly the melody; the guitar enters second, followed by drums. The treatment here is more swing than Latin, but the brush work seems appropriate and the tune goes by in just under 3 minutes. Angel Eyes is another mood invoking song and, of course, Lou treats it with a great bluesy feel. Green Dolphin Street" picks up the tempo a bit as the traditional Latin to swing (A/B) approach is used on this song. Tenderly begins with Lou only and moves into another beautiful treatment which makes one realize that nothing has been lost ; taste, subtlety, and sensitivity are all there. Wave is a Jobim tune commonly played by most jazz and Latin guitarists. Here the approach is setting a smooth tempo that allows Mecca to move in and out of the chord changes as though he were cruising down an open road. Moonlight In Vermont is a difficult piece to interpret; by that I mean anyone can play it but few can offer a personal statement. Lou makes one feel that they are hearing the tune for the first time. Days Of Wine & Roses is the final cut. The Lou Mecca Trio take the listener out the same way they entered. This smoothly paced version is filled with chord-melody and harmonic targeting that suggests we should enjoy ourselves. Summary: Bridging The Gap is an impressively well done recording which puts one in mind of listening to this Trio in a live club setting - intimate and personal. If you enjoy the standards from the guitarists point of view, the Lou Mecca Trio has it covered!