Project Pablo Napoletana

The release of this album was preceded by a long studio work: from August 2018 to March 2019 in one of the Israeli studios Pablo Embon worked on the recording of the album Reminiscent Moods. It is not surprising: Ambon does everything himself. In the Reminiscent Moods, he used a wide variety of keyboards, synthesizers, of course, an acoustic piano, a whole set of guitars, both acoustic and electrified, as well as a double bass and bass guitar. In addition, he himself recorded the music of his own composition, mixed it and, finally, he himself produced his own project. However, he is no stranger: in this mode, Embon has released, as many as eighteen albums. This person is used to relying solely on himself.

It could almost be a flaw from a classical tragedy. A gifted singer, swollen with acclaim and popularity, suddenly believes he or she can write songs. It's rife among jazz singers who, vexed by trying to make standards live anew, trot out trite ditties of their own, oblivious to their listeners' attempts to hide.

This Pablo recording from 1976 represents a new revitilised Basie band. After some years of having almost not recorded at all, due to problems with stable personnel, William Basie at this time has found a new drummer, Butch Miles and a new arranger, Bill Holman, who was asked to write charts especially for this project. Because of this, these recordings are a pleasant breakaway from a long tradition of using the Sammy Nestico charts over and over again. And what a talent this Basie band has in its ranks: Sonny Cohn and the sparkling Bobby Mitchell provide the trumpet solos, in the trombone department you`ll hear the one and only plunger specialist Al Grey, supported by Curtis Fuller and Bill Hughes. Of course the star soloist of the band is still there playing with the reeds: Jimmy Forrest, with his fat, gutty attack on the tenorsax. Besides the brilliant new scores on this album, Holman arranged two famous standards for Basie, `Something To Live For` and `Too Close For Comfort`. In listening to them, you get almost the feeling that Basie`s third Atomic period had started. Definitely a Basie for your collection at home.