I have had this disc for awhile, and I had a good chance to listen to it, but unfortunately with all the chaos going on around here I hadn't had the time to write a good review. However, with the waters receding and the job situation cleared up I have some time to get some work done! Mike Zito's Today is a nice summer time blues CD, that you will love to take with you when you are cruising around town, or taking in some rays at the beach. Zito is a good guitarist with a voice built for soul music. In fact, he has an amazing voice, not one of those typical American Idol/Star Search over worked vocal gymnastics type voice, but a classic soul voice, like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, or Wilson Pickett.
The disc starts with Love Like This, which is pretty much a classic contemporary blues tune. Superman is more soulful, and has a nice backing electric piano going on in the background. Holding Out For Love, is a cool jazzy soul tune. The next song I have to admit is not one of my favorites. It is a remake of Prince's classic Little Red Corvette, but the record company is pushing this song as a single. I think those of us old enough to remember the original recording of Little Red Corvette, miss the original's energy. Zito slows it way down to ballad tempo, and to my ears it needs a little more gas.
Zito returns with an interesting ode to being green in Universe. This song has a slow clean type Hendrix grove going on. Blinded seems to pick up the tempo and has sort of a Santana type grove going on, which is very cool. Slow It Down, is a nice slow blues that shows off Zito's guitar chops, while Today returns to groovy soul music. No Big City is a funky blues tune with some great guitar work, while Deep Down In Love is very much like a slow grooving Stevie Ray funk blues. Dirty Blues is another Stevie Ray/Buddy Guy grove. It starts out very much like a minor keyed Mary Had A little Lamb, especially the chorus is very similar to that classic blues tune. That is not to say that they are the same song. Blues groves can be similar, but the way you make it your own is what changes it, and Dirty Blues is its own song. Hollywood is a really rocking tune, and Zito really smokes on the guitar. Time To Go Home is a nice choice for the closing song. It starts slow and simple and builds all the way to the end, then finishes with just Zito on the acoustic guitar.
This is really a nice disc to travel with. It keeps a nice moderate tempo through out, and has some nice pleasant soulful, and blues tunes. This is certainly a disc to buy and use as your summer soundtrack so get your copy now.
To check out his website and to buy the disc Click HERE.
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