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Stateside is an upbeat and soulful journey into eight classic American standards. It is melodic, sophisticated, and very accessible while also rising to the challenge of today's modern jazz art form. With Bob Magnusson on bass and Jim Plank on drums, this magic trio has taken these time-tested songs to a new and refreshing place. Check out this great review from JazzReview.com: "STATESIDE is a collection of eight very American classic standards, performed in top-notch form by Joe Diorio on guitar, Bab Magnusson on bass, and Jim Plank on drums. Some of the solo work on this new release is so incredibly good that it defies definition! To say these three can play a jazz song perfectly and imaginatively is an understatement. They are in touch with the motif of the song and each other, and each solo interplays beautifully with another. The selections are: "Alone Together" written by Howard Dietz & Arthur Schwartz; "Days of Wine and Roses" written by Henry Mancini; "Darn That Dream" written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Edgar Delange; a most imaginative rendition and interpretation musically of "Corcovado" written by Antonio Carlos Jobim; "You and the Night and the Music" written by Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz; "Beautiful Love" written by Young, King, Van Alstyne, and Gillespie; "I Thought About You" written by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Mercer; and, the always memorable "A Child is Born" written by Thad Jones. STATESIDE is unusual in its straight-forward, classic, yet contemporary jazz approach, each solo a showcase for the musician as well as for the song itself. Diorio, Magnusson, and Plank have a smooth, creative sound going, and STATESIDE is a tribute to their performing greatness. A classy, fine jazz CD. It is something special to have in the home library for frequent playing and enjoyment, and to treasure for its clarity, freshness, and jazz expressions. STATESIDE is straight-ahead, classic jazz at its finest. Very nice! Share it with your friends! Reviewed by: Lee Prosser " REVIEW FROM ALL ABOUT JAZZ Stateside: Joe Diorio (Diorio Jazz Records); By David Rickert Jazz writer Gary Giddins once wrote an article entitled "Fifty Years of 'Body and Soul'", which celebrates what he calls "the greatest American song of all time". Basically a tribute to how enduring the song is (nearly 300 versions have been recorded), the article highlights some of the more memorable interpretations. Giddins also illustrates how important standards are to the jazz medium, for they provide a common ground for musicians to collaborate with one another on the spot without ever having played together before. Django Reinhardt, Bill Evans, and Archie Shepp have all recorded versions of "Body and Soul"; wouldn't it be fun to throw them all together to play the tune and see what happens? Guitarist Joe Diorio has recorded an album very much in the spirit of such spontaneous collaboration. He and his cohorts have dusted off a few well-worn stardards and made them sound as fresh and lively as ever. The whole album has the feel of three friends making music after dinner for their own amusement, and this is probably a deliberate effect; it was recorded at engineer Tobias Weiss' house. These three veterans have gigged with Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, and Joe Pass among others, and have obviously played each of these songs hundreds of times in a variety of settings. Their sophistication and empathy for one another on these soft-hued tunes shows; since the three have played together before, the affinity they have for one another is clearly evident.. However, the true marvel here and testament to these accomplished musicians is that each song was unrehearsed and recorded in one take. Although these songs are familiar, everyone brings something fresh to the table; At the beginning of "Days of Wine and Roses", for instance, Diorio bounces arpeggios off of Magnusson's singing bass lines while Plank simmers underneath. The true highlight is the translucent "A Child is Born", where Magnusson takes the head while Diorio plays shimmering chords in the background. Everything is very fluid and relaxed with the exception of "Corcovado", which sounds a little stiff. Nevertheless, this album proves that with any standard, there are still plenty of new avenues left to explore. Track Listing: Alone Together; Days of Wine and Roses; Darn That Dream; Corcovado; You and the Night and the Music; Beautiful Love; I Thought About You; A Child is Born. Personnel: Joe Diorio, guitar; Bob Magnusson, bass; Jim Plank, drums. Bio With over 30 years experience as a performer and recording artist, Joe Diorio has worked with such Jazz luminaries as Sonny Stitt, Eddie Harris, Ira Sullivan, Stan Getz, Horace Silver, and Freddie Hubbard. Joe tours Europe, Brazil, Canada and the United States regularly promoting his dedication to pure and avant-garde jazz. Joe has released instructional videos, written articles for Guitar Player Magazine and authored more than eight Jazz instructional books. His four most recent releases on CD with Italian Jazz label RAM Records include: "I Remember Wes" a tribute to Wes Montgomery; A solo guitar album "We Will Meet Again" ; "Double Take" with live recordings of the performances with Riccardo Del Fra; and "Rare Birds" a duo album with Mick Goodrick. Highly respected as an educator, Joe currently teaches at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles and has conducted Jazz Guitar seminars throughout the United States, Europe and Brazil. Additionally, Joe was one of the three founding instructors for the Guitar Institute of Technology (G.I.T.) in Hollywood California. Joe is currently in the process of releasing new CDs on his own record label for U.S. and international distribution. Joe is also publishing new books and instructional videos through his new company JoeDiorio.com. Check out the artist's website: http://www.joediorio.com Track List: 1. Alone Together 2. Days of Wine and Roses 3. Darn That Dream 4. Corcovado 5. You and the Night and the Music 6. Beautiful Love 7. I Thought About You 8. A Child Is Born Suggested CDs:
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