Carlo De Lorenzi - Four Seasons in One Recess is reviewed by The Borderland

by:  John M. Peters

It is a rarity to find an album that clicks with my ears from the opening notes of the first track, but that is what happened with Four Seasons In One Recess by keyboardist Carlo De Lorenzi.

Track One, Key Lime Pie, begins with one of those funky Stevie Wonder clavinet riffs and I knew that I was hooked. Four Seasons... is a pop jazz themed album with a strong twist of funk  and a dash of reggae running through it.

If you remember The Crusaders and Bob James and the theme to Taxi then that is a place to start with this album. Mr De Lorenzi composed all ten tracks and plays a variety of keyboards and other instruments, with a varying number of other musicians and vocalists supporting him throughout. Most of all, this is an upbeat, happy album, great for parties and for driving, with enough street edginess running throughout to make it contemporary. The track titles are: Key Lime Pie, Ode To Raven, Change Of Pace, Edge Of The Rainstorm, The Calling, Baked Potato, Blue Sky Down, Back Flip, Rocky Harbour, and Door To The Heart.

Basically, this is a happy vibes album, ideal for raising the spirits of the listener while showcasing some damn fine writing and performing skills by Carlo De Lorenzi and his musicians. This is an album I can, and will, whole heartedly recommend to everyone. It's a bit pop, a bit jazz, even a bit rock, a bit latin, a bit funky - all mixed into one hell of a gumbo stew. Four Seasons... is one of the most commercial sounding albums I've had the pleasure to hear in a while, and I use the term commercial in the truest sense of the term - once heard almost everyone who loves music will want to buy it. So just buy it.

CARLO DELORENZI - Four Seasons in One Recess:

You gotta love it when this piano man turns up the organ and lets it fly. A swinging Canuck jazzbo that must use the heat from his playing to keep warm and conserve natural resources, he's a killer diller of a natural resource and he knows how to bring the heat. Fun stuff that's easy to take, wears it's influences proudly in snippets of homage and simply delivers the goods. It's really a real find.

Check it out.

Dr Michael Matheny, Radio IO

He has a good feel for catchy rhythms in several of these tracks.. ‘feel good’ sounds like this are mood shifting and good for me in the programming. Also the track ‘Edge of the Rain Storm’ will work well on our business channel ‘Nouveau Jazz’.  Also, I feel that several of the tracks will be great for our io4business channel ‘Smooth Jazz’.  I am always looking for a new sound that has the intrigue..  

keeps us fresh!

Carlo DeLorenzi: Four Seasons in One Recess
by George Graham

(Independent release As broadcast on WVIA-FM 3/2/2011)

Canadian keyboard man and composer Carlo DeLorenzi's new CD Four Seasons in One Recess combines an easy going, approachable sound that skirts the light fusion and smooth jazz scene but generally provides more musical substance, with good compositions, tasteful musicianship and some creative eclecticism. With the varying personnel, there's a decent variety of sounds without its being too stylistically scattered. The CD also flows well from one track to the next, not that it makes much difference in a world of individually downloaded tracks.

Review by: Jonathan Cohen

When I popped this CD in, I'll be honest, the last thing I expected to hear was funk + jazz + sick organ solo. Wanna know what that sounds like? Awesome! But don't take my word for it, listen yourself! Onwards to the review though. Carlo De Lorenzi is a Canadian jazz musician active (credited as a pianist/keyboardist but a multi-intrumentalist in all actuality) in the Toronto and N. Ontario music scenes for quite some time now (more than 30 years for all you number fans). What I'm trying to say is that man has some street cred; on top of that he's also got a myriad of influences that'll leave your head spinning. Did you say you've always wondered what Indian music and jazz would sound like together? Country western? Spacey Funk? This one is a winner children so stop reading and hit the play button already.

Sounds Like: Chick Correa, Weather Report

Recommended Tracks:

Key Lime Pie (Track 1)***** - I kind want some pie now...also, de Lorenzi plays ever instrument on this track save for the percussion

Baked Potato (Track 6)**** - more rock oriented (see: 2 guitar solos), spacey bass/synth

Back Flip (Track 8)*** – veeeeery '80s and Wayne Shorter like, but that's not a bad thing is it?

Date Reviewed: 02/23/2011