Inner Dance

This second album from Italian jazz guitarist Fabrizio Sotti should have actually been his third release, had not a hard-drive crash wiped out his recordings for the ironically title effort Against All Odds. Not so much a re-recording as it is a renewed effort to capture the spirit of the lost

audio document, Sotti could not retain the services of bassist James Genus, but instead uses Sam Barsh playing the Hammond B-3 organ with bass pedals. The result is a combination of softer tunes with Latin accents, and contemporary original electric jazz fusion à la John Scofield, and not so much soul-jazz. Sotti has chops to burn as displayed during "I Thought So" with quick bebop replies, hops up the funk-to-bop "Last Chance," and effectively swings in an unforced manner during "Blue Whisper." There are peaceful moments with Sotti's acoustic guitar, enhanced by Gregoire Maret's harmonica for the title track in a 6/8 soul song, or Spanish-tinged in a light but direct mood for "Amancer," featuring vocalist Claudia Acuña. Barsh is always brilliant, but in this case is less flamboyant and more structured, but no less potent. One will always wonder about the missing session, but Sotti has made up whatever difference with this very enjoyable statement, bridging what was and what might have been with what truly is in the moment. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi