Rarely do artist completely change the direction of sound— and do it as
effortlessly as composer “Tony Marino.” His latest project; a full-length CD
entitled, “Sound Inve$tment,” was so much more than I anticipated. I
expected jazz but instead I got a captivating trip through a variety of
beautiful sounds. “Baiao Rhythms,” enters with a coy staccato flute, which
playfully dances throughout the entire track sending the listener into a
musical frenzy. The drum cadence, in its simplicity, sets a perfect mystical
effect; coupled with some original indigenous baiao sounds and Tony’s
personal touch create a layered but dynamic undertone of rich Caribbean
flavor. “Goleta,” is an amazingly rhythmic song, the instrumentation on this
track is put together so well it’s hard to determine the best part. The song
employs a wide range of orchestrated sounds, dancing from subtle
continental jazz influenced patterns, to funk-infused cymbals, and then back
to whimsical woodwinds; yielding harmonious moments of both beauty
and tension. While “Don’t Look At Me That Way,” is a funk-filled jazzy
number. It’s nostalgic but new, the song is backed with a low but balanced
bass line, the horns groove from the beginning to the end of the track and I
get a definite 80’s vibe from the tune. It’s funky. Overall this is definitely a
solid project; a refreshing glass of water in the somewhat cottonmouth
sound we are slowing becoming accustomed to hearing more and more
these days.
Reviewed by: iamchxn, professional music producer/ engineer and A&R for several indie and major labels.
