Andre Ferreri - Andre Ferreri Quintetto-Numero Uno (2021)

Andre Ferreri has chosen to return to his passion for trad jazz, bebop and swing and grace us with a spirited and soulful, multi-mood driven album with his “Quintetto” whose title Numero Uno promises that he and the great ensemble will be continuing this vibe for a long time to come. Full of passion, explosive jamming, touches of big band and blues, tributes to his wife Mary and Pat Martino, and a sliver of important social consciousness, this is a powerful and empowering collection that showcases what happens when a musical veteran finds fresh new purpose in his solo career and engages with seasoned players to help him realize his vision that, like he says, almost seems divinely channeled. Ferreri chose to name his group the Italian version of “quintet” because the project has a Euro-Italian feel to it and he wanted to pay homage to both his heritage and the inspiration he found during his time in Italy. Ferreri’s longtime associates that form the core “Quintetto” include tenor saxophonist Ziad Rabie, who helps bring out the intensity of the emotions throughout the project, acoustic bassist Anna Stadlman and pianists Mark Stallings, Phillip Howe and Sean Higgins. Ferreri also worked for the first time with Kobie Watkins, a well-traveled world class drummer who has skinned for everyone from Kurt Elling and Arturo Sandoval to Sonny Rollins.