Album Notes

Bill DiCosimo formed his own quartet to focus on a performing group that would consider taking any good song, regardless of style and make it their own with an influential eye towards jazz and improvisation as the underlying foundation. This way, audiences identify with the song itself and enjoy how it becomes re-invented or interpreted to suit the personalities of the group. As the quartet’s influences and tastes are varied – Latino, World Music, Blues, Jazz-Rock, Modal and Funk, the mix of these “flavors” makes a unique blend of musical output. Not a new concept by any means but effectively presented by the musical prowess of this group.

Bill DiCosimo also uses the quartet as a vehicle for his writing and arranging. Particularly writing songs to feature his wife and vocalist of the group, Lisa who also has a tremendous ear for finding unique cover material to sing. Bill, as a keyboardist with a long history of performing with or opening for a number of artists such as: Dave Valentin, Stanley Turrentine, Tom Scott, Warren Hill, The Braxton Brothers, Average White Band among others, has teamed with two of Central New York’s premier rhythm section performers: Edgar Pagan, bassist and founder of Grupo Pagan who’s Latin Rock Band has taken the Northeast by storm (of which Bill plays keyboards!) and Frank Neubert, drummer who is also a member of Grupo Pagan as well as having a long track record as a performer and session drummer.

The unique aspect of this first release by the quartet is that it is a “live recording” with no overdubs. This can be a daunting experience due to the impact of having no studio corrections at your disposal. As the group felt that a live audience was always the support system in generating excitement and feeding off the crowd at club gigs, it seemed appropriate to use this approach in creating the recording. The results speak for itself! There’s laughter, some occasional errors but on the whole, some great musical moments that we hope our friends (old and new) will enjoy.

The covers chosen were hand picked from the crowd response at our club performances. Songs like Santana’s “Guajira” and Bette Midler’s “One Monkey” always were a tremendous hit and on our “most requested” list. Especially because of the sound that the group created without guitar or a horn section! Bill’s passion for the modal jazz music of artists such as Herbie Hancock, Rashaan Roland Kirk and Freddie Hubbard made his choices easy for instrumental jazz covers as well as in what you can perceive in his originals, this same endearing tribute on his original tune: “Hemlock Eyes”.

In addition to bringing together this group and the project, Bill is a published ASCAP composer, ASCAPlus Award Recipient, professor of music industry and jazz studies at Syracuse University, director of the college vocal jazz ensemble and an IAJE clinician. In 2004, the group performed at the Detroit International Jazz Festival and in 2006, Bill’s published composition, “Pages” (UNC Jazz Press) and a vocal jazz arrangment of “Blues for Kane” received their West Coast Premier by the University of Southern California Concert Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

You can keep up with Bill, the quartet and Grupo Pagan at the following:
www.billdicosimo.com
www.myspace.com/billdicosimoquartet
www.grupopagan.com