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| Hammond B3 Groove Master TONY MONACO Releases "OVER AND OVER" -- All Originals Excellent jazz is being performed all around the country and not just on the coasts. Imagine what a delightful surprise it would be to find yourself in a small, Midwestern city like Columbus, Ohio, and walking into a club where B3 master TONY MONACO is laying down some tasty, bluesy grooves. Although Monaco is not as well-known as some of the other B3 greats like Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, and Shirley Scott, for people in the know, he stands head and shoulders alongside them. Monaco is now releasing his thirteenth album, OVER AND OVER, where he once again welcomes you in with his funky, melodic style on seven original tunes. The new album follows his 2022 release Four Brothers, which JazzWeekly called, "Rib sticking musical delights." OVER AND OVER is an organ trio album featuring top-notch, Ohio-based jazz musicians who know how to keep up with Monaco's driving rhythms. Drummer REGGIE JACKSON spent 11 years working with jazz legend Dianne Schuur as well as a Who's Who of jazz greats including Dr. John, Frank Foster, Benny Golson, Arturo Sandoval, and Eddie Daniels. Guitarist, bandleader, composer, and educator ZAKK JONES, who has toured around the country, has played with The Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Maria Schneider, The Coasters, Lou Marini Jr., and John Fedchock, among others. Monaco began his musical journey at the age of eight, when he began studying the accordion. His musical destiny was sealed when he was just twelve years old and first heard Jimmy Smith. He was an enthusiastic student, immersing himself in the music of other organ greats like Jimmy McGriff, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Charles Earland, Jack McDuff, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. He quickly became proficient enough to play in local jazz clubs when he was still a young teenager. On his sixteenth birthday, Monaco received an encouraging phone call from Jimmy Smith, who soon became his mentor and teacher. Four years later, Smith invited Monaco to play at his club in California. Monaco put his music career on hold for many years because of family obligations. He worked in his family business, Monaco's Palace Italian restaurant, for ten years while performing weekly in the lounge. He also got married and had three daughters. Afterward, he worked in the food brokerage industry and then became an assistant broadcast producer for a prominent ad agency, where he acquired music production skills. He mixes and masters all of his own albums. After graduating from college with a Bachelor of Science of Business Administration degree from Franklin University, he became a supervisor at his father's business, Monaco Concrete. Monaco explains, "My father needed a good manager, and my daughters were about to attend college." However, music was always his first love, and Monaco continued playing gigs at night while working to support his family. For the last many years, Monaco has been able to focus his energy solely on his music career. In 2000, he met fellow jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco, who offered to produce his debut album. That collaboration resulted in the critically acclaimed Burnin Grooves, an international success that began his touring career. He released several albums on Summit Records and then began his own label, Chicken Coup Records. Although Monaco has recorded his original compositions on prior albums, Over and Over is the first project of all originals, which are all are highly approachable and infectious. As All About Jazz said of his 2019 release, The Definition of Insanity, "Somebody ordered the party platter, because B3 maestro Tony Monaco is delivering. His music is for all intents and purposes a celebration." There is always a memorable melody or phrase in his music that lingers long after the music stops. He opens the album with "Da Daddy, " a contrafact of Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar." But it would take great ears to hear any resemblance between the tunes as Monaco spins it in an even funkier direction. Monaco played with Pat Martino for three years and dedicates "One for Pat" to him. The tune features get-down blues solos by Monaco and Jones. "My Little Rosie Girl" is a happy, upbeat tune he wrote about one of his beloved cats. "Over and Over (I Want You)" has a funky, groovy feel. He came up with the title after a relentless phone scammer kept calling him over and over. All three musicians take solos, including Jackson who is featured on the outro. "Ready Set Go" was inspired by Jimmy Smith, Monaco's mentor. The track features Jackson and Jones trading eights. "Sail Boat, " inspired by the Roberto Menescal favorite, "My Little Boat, " has a Latin feel. "Uprooted" features an exciting funk groove once again inspired by Jimmy Smith. Smith recorded the tune with a younger band influenced by modern funk and rock, which is echoed in Monaco's version. These days, Monaco is still touring as well as playing regularly in local venues to his hometown fans. He is also busy passing down his 56 years of musical knowledge to a younger generation in his online classes through his very popular online subscription school as well as in-person instruction. And he is still a dynamic, versatile musician, still making records that are bluesy, funky, infectious, and filled with a sense of joy. # # # OVER AND OVER will be released on March 22, 2024 on Chicken Coup Records. Physical CDs will be available via both Tony Monaco and Chicken Coup websites (links below) and on all streaming platforms. write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |