The Lo Greco Brothers, Enzo and Gianni, are two of Italy's most in-demand rhythm sections. Playing bass and drums, respectively, they run the gamut of traditional jazz, the new Italian scene, and heart-and-soul jazz-fusion that relies on melodics and composition rather than just chops.
Full Time, their debut on Splasc(h), is on the electric side, but far from the fuzak edge. The album opens with the gorgeous groover "Okthema," which is fueled by Enzo's fretless six-string bass,
Giulio Visibelli's soprano saxophone, and
Massimo Colombo's keyboards. Enzo's bass solo, which bridges the head of the tune to its shifting, center figures, is economic, deeply melodic, and in-the-pocket. "A Kind of Blues" is a bit knottier, delving into the funk bag for a winding series of contrapuntal rhythmic elements in the head. The harmonic extension of the melody is provided by Dario Faiella's guitar and
Colombo's piano.
The Lo Greco Brothers shift around here and there under the beat, behind the beat, and even over it to yank out the nuance of the groove. There aren't any sleepers here, or all-out jams that tax a listener's patience. No, there's just the inherent -- perhaps in their DNA -- Italian lyricism combined with slick, smooth arrangements in a series of riff-laden electric jazz tunes that showcase just how it really should be done. ~ Thom Jurek