[Harp-L] Rob Paparozzi "Etruscan Soul"

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I acquired a copy of Rob Paparozzi's CD "Etruscan Soul" a couple of months ago and have listened to it several times end to end since then, most recently today.  This CD is Rob's first solo effort, and it is a very cool record.

I'm so used to thinking of Rob as a killer blues and rock diatonic harp player that I was surprised to hear that this record is focused as much or more on his singing and chromatic harp playing.  The singing throughout puts the "soul" in "Etruscan Soul"--this record would be perfectly convincing as a showcase for the singer, never mind the harp playing.  You can see why Blood Sweat and Tears put Rob up front for their latest tours.  I only wish that his cool shuffle cover of "Ticket to Ride" that opens the record had his vocals on it.  Phoebe Snow shows up for one crazy powerful verse on Delbert McClinton's "Monkey Around", and the whole song plays like a great Bonnie Raitt tune with Rob standing in for Raitt.

I've known that Rob is a great chromatic player for a long time--you only have to put "CBS Good Morning"on your TV screen to hear it.  His chromatic harp work on this CD is the highlight of the record for me.  My favorite track, without a doubt, is Steely Dan's "Peg", where Rob shows exactly how to use the chromatic to put a simple rock melody across.  His tone here is so much like singing that it's spooky.  Even more striking is the chromatic on "Body and Soul," where Rob shows his beautiful tone, his sophisticated harmonic sense, and his terrific melodic phrasing all at once, to great effect.  This is gorgeous playing, and deeply moving.

There's plenty of diatonic harp on the record too, of course.  My favorite piece in this regard is Rob's instrumental take on Cream's "Strange Brew"--the harp playing is freakadelic blues, with a kind of New-Orleans-on-acid vib.  Wicked cool.  I also loved the harp on "Love the One You're With"--it's simple, and it drips with feeling.

The rhythm section includes some of the cream of New York's session players, including Hugh McCracken on guitar, Harvey Brooks and Will Lee on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Ed Alstrom laying down some of the most exciting Hammond Organ work I've heard in a long time.   I loved what Purdie did on "Love the One You're With"--you can hear him subtly shape the sound of the whole band from behind the drum kit.  The rhythm section throughout plays with a dead-on swagger that is utterly New York.  

This record is a great showcase for Rob, a must-have for harp players, and a lot of fun to throw into the CD player while you cruise down the highway.  Get it.

Regards, Richard Hunter






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