JAZZ TRACK – ENRICO LE NOCI

Italian guitarist drops his first single of the year.  

Puglia-born Enrico Le Noci has roamed from his homeland to The Hague and the USA, refining his trade under the tutelage of luminaries John Ruocco, Peter Bernstein and Barry Harris. With three records as a leader in his pocket, the tasteful guitarist kickstarts the year with his first single Now!, a collaboration with friends from the Dutch scene.

Completed by pianist Daniel Bulatkin, bassist Arjun Ramdas and drummer Davids Eglitis, Le Noci presents a sparkling melody, set up by a fat-bottomed vamp and worked out adventurously by Le Noci and Bulatkin. Le Noci’s sassy, swinging workout is in pleasant contrast with Bulatkin, who goes in all sorts of directions, like Tarzan from lian to lian, binding the ropes with firm, expressionist chords. As overall feel goes, Now! reminds me a bit of Grant Green classics like Jean de Fleur. Le Noci’s singing tone and phrasing feels somewhat akin to the great René Thomas.

So much for comparisons. A fine contemporary band and song, which won 3rd place in the New York Jazz Competition, judged by a.o. Mike Stern. Le Noci’s 21st century post-bop band started off the year on the good foot.

Listen to Now! on certain streaming platforms and on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tJXoxj9E3Q&list=RD9tJXoxj9E3Q&start_radio=1