| Jazz, Smooth Jazz |
The trumpet player Paul Litteral has an impressive career behind him. If you don’t know him, you’ve certainly heard him on an album by Tom Waits, Bronski Beat, Darryl Hal & John Oates, Graham Parker, Joan Jett, and the list is impossible to give in just one article. So here’s an excerpt from his biography: “Hollywood” Paul Litteral (trumpet player) is originally from Kentucky. He moved to New York City for a brief period in the Navy music program after high school. He then formed the famous Uptown Horns with saxophonist Arno Hecht. With Crispan Cioe (saxophone) and Bob Funk (trombone), their four-piece brass section has been playing and recording with great artists from all musical backgrounds for about 10 years, including Ray Charles, Etta James, James Brown, Albert Collins, Sammy Davis Jr., The B 52s, Cameo, and many others. Paul has also toured and recorded with Hall of Fame artists such as J. Geils, Robert Plant and the Honey Drippers, and the Rolling Stones.
Just as it would be impressive to list all the artists who participated in this album, an album that looks like a memory of all these years working with various artists, to finally give music that is personal and refined. Of course, it sounds like a hit since almost all the tracks are arrangements of well-known songs.
It sounds a bit like a smooth jazz album on steroids, danceable, joyful, but above all, it showcases Paul Litteral’s arranging talents, who has a perfectly recognizable style. In reality, the entire album is tailored for dazzling live performances, where you can dance to the sound of Makin’ Whoopie, Desperado, For Once in My Life, Do It Again, and if you can keep dancing until the end, you can calm down with The Moon Ain’t Made Of Green Cheese.
The only criticism that could be made of this album is that it doesn’t contain any original songs. However, this disappointment is balanced out by absolutely exceptional vocalists. With such a career, it’s not surprising to find such a well-crafted album, and it’s easy to understand why the entire showbiz world has been clamoring for Paul Litteral for so long.
Given the various qualities of this album and Paul Litteral’s brilliant career, the editorial teams at Paris-Move and Bayou Blue Radio have classified this album as “Indispensable.”
Thierry De Clemensat
Correspondent in USA
Bayou Blue News – Bayou Blue Radio – Paris-Move
PARIS-MOVE, April 28th 2023
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