Musical educator and keyboard player John Novello has a track record the like of which most could only dream of. Having played with everyone from Taste Of Honey to Manhattan Transfer and on to Hubert Laws, Novello has versatility to burn and has recently brought this all together with his latest solo project ‘Ivory Soul’. The recording marks his reunion with songwriter and producer Andy Goldmark (with whom he collaborated for his 2009 CD, ‘B3 Soul’) and right from the first note of the opening track (the radio friendly ‘Crush’ featuring Gerald Albright on sax and killer bass from Melvin Davis) makes a statement that here is a player who has brought his ‘A-game’ and then some.
Indeed it is an interesting collection that shows off the breadth of Novello’s talents and none more so than with his vaudevillian interpretation of Lennon and McCartney’s ‘Blackbird’ and also with his subtle take on the Corrine Bailey Rae hit ‘Put Your Records On’.
He also finds space for the jazz standard ‘Stella By Starlight’ while elsewhere Novello strikes a mellow tone for the charmingly reflective ‘Heart Of Hearts’. Later, when he calls on Artuo Solar to add a splash of understated trumpet, the result is the sunshine filled ‘Fiestaville’ whereas the title cut finds Novello’s ever more urgent keys dovetailing to perfection with sax from Jeff Nathanson.
It is a song that climbs to a thumping crescendo and which is punctuated by a burst of John’s trademark Hammond B3.
A wonderful aspect of Novello’s music is that it is never bland and that is particularly the case with the ultra edgy ‘Funk Shui’ where Donald Hayes guests on sax. Another sax-man to play a supporting role is Eric Marienthal on the expansive, ballad-like ‘Cecil’s Tune’ and he sticks around for the joyously uplifting ‘I Can’t Stop My Heart’ which is right up there with the best that ‘Ivory Soul’ has to offer. However, in terms of personal favorites, it is the high octane ‘Shuffle The Deck’ that arguably steals the show. Reverberating with fine sax from the unmistakable Tom Scott this is possibly the best contemporary jazz tune you will hear all year.