Nicola Conte - Other Directions

scoundrel, Sep 22, 2008

Nicola Conte moves from his electronic-jazz hybrid to a more full-on jazz album with _Other Directions_. The summery vibe still remains, but Conte eschews the exotic locales of _Bossa Per Due_ for a more straightforward groove (though the Brazilian vibe lives on "Sea and Sand". "WaninMoon," for example, has a classic structure, replete with sailing vocals, while "Impulso" surges forward with a quick step rhythm. "Kind of Sunshine" brings in the house kick-drum, its only appearance on an otherwise sedate album. If anything, Nicola Conte and Koop have the same aesthetic: keep it mellow, keep it pleasant, keep it sensuous. And thats always a step in the right direction. "Aphrodite’s Dream" soothes like a Swedish massage, while "The Dharma Bums" feels like a summer drive along the Italian coastline. The title track takes its own journey on the double bass and sax. But it’s Conte’s cover of Krzysztof Komeda’s "Le Depart" that really travels the distance, stretching, as it does, from Poland to France. Any direction is a good one to take with this album.

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