Three Chord Monte
Making a Scene by Jim Hynes
“Especially notable is Romano’s bent for improvisation. Romano moves in so many different directions that it keeps the listener well engaged through the pensive, echoing “One for Bill,” a nod to Bill Frisell that showcases Romano’s lyrical approach, to the even more pensive “Reflection” and the moody “Hollow’ that opens with a gorgeous Romano solo intro. Unheralded compared to the ‘name’ guitarists on the jazz scene, Romano proves that he belongs in the conversation. This should be a ‘coming out’ breakthrough release for him.”
With a play on words, from Elvin Jones’s “Three Card Molly,” and the card game of a similar name, guitarist Tony Romano entitles his own solo jazz album, filled with original compositions, Three Chord Monte. Romano has spent most of his career as a sideman for vocalists but issued a solo guitar album Dance for One (2017) and his trio recording, Standards (2018). So, this represents the first collection of his own writing for a quartet and trio. In fact, they recorded it all in two days, one for the quartet and another for the trio tracks, which unfortunately, are not clearly delineated in the album information. (This should help) There’s well over an hour of music in this distinctly modern album that fuses Latin, blues, and conventional jazz structures such as waltzes with highly cinematic fare. Joining Romano are Paul Carlon on tenor and baritone saxes, Jennifer Vincent on bass, and Rob Garcia on drums.
Afrobeat grooves and robust bass introduce “Cadillac Green,” with tinges of soul jazz as Carlon’s tenor and Romano’s guitar trade melody lines over the percolating bottom. Later “Lay It Down” also melds Afro-beat with a call-and-response like blues with Carlon again blowing fervently before Romano unleashes a blistering solo with immaculately clean tone and rhythmic flair that often sounds as if two guitars are playing. Carlon keeps pace with Romano, soaring in his turn, spurred on with snippets of dialogue with the guitarist. Every quartet member gets an expressive say in this one.
Latin strains imbue “Rhumba-esque,” a 15-bar blues comprising five three bar phrases for a romantic, lyrical delivery rendered by the trio, with Romano exhibiting quite a range. The trio also applies a sensual cha-cha groove to “Camino,’ with Vincent’s bass lines especially notable as is Romano’s bent for improvisation, rather than simply playing it straight. Romano moves in so many different directions here that it keeps the listener well engaged through the pensive, echoing “One for Bill,” a nod to Bill Frisell that showcases Romano’s lyrical approach, to the even more pensive “Reflection” and the moody “Hollow’ that opens with a gorgeous Romano solo intro.
Diverging further off the beaten path, is the ethereal quartet piece, “Winterland,” casting the ensemble in a highly textural, most contemporary light with Carlon and Romano moving through contrapuntally, using space in much the way that Bill Frisell and Julian Lage do as almost a ‘fifth’ member. The layered harmonics in the up-tempo waltz “Onward and Upward” continually change and grow in intensity behind Garcia’s potent kit work. “Ratatat” is another waltz, albeit at a more disciplined, steady pace by the trio while “Squirrelly” moves with a bouncy gait, an unconventional 22-bar blues, with faint tinges of NOLA strains with bold statements from the bass-drum tandem.
The quartet rendered title track, does indeed revolve around just three chords in two-bar phrases in a circular, almost trance-like, dreamy way. The closer, the tender “Home” is pillowy comfortable, the melody partially evoking strains of Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage,” leaving us both totally satisfied and craving more from Romano and his versatile, virtuosic bandmates, a solid achievement in an album as lengthy as this one.
Unheralded compared to the ‘name’ guitarists on the jazz scene, Romano proves that he belongs in the conversation. This should be a ‘coming out’ breakthrough release for him.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/three-chord-monte-tony-romano-trm-records
By Nicholas F. Mondello
Three Chord Monte from New York-based guitarist Tony Romano offers thirteen selections with an expansive range of grooves, textures, and intensities. Throughout the session, he and his fine players demonstrate their obvious allegiance to melody, lyricism, and appropriate rhythmic foundation, yielding a fine overall recording.
The starter, "Cadillac Green" has a deep-pocketed funk bed and is a biting melodic statement. There is an Intense tenor saxophone solo from Paul Carlon which is a fine take-off. "Rhumba-esque" has Romano's guitar delivering the melody on a Latin offering. Romantic and sensuous, this is another excellent track. "Winterland" presents a slow, textural, mysterious soundscape on which Carlon's tenor saxophone sings and, in unison with Romano's guitar, builds in intensity. "Lay It Down" is a straight-ahead rocker with deep Afro melodic roots. Drummer Rob Garcia intensely drives under a furious Carlon tenor saxophone and Romano's superb guitar solo.
All the tunes on this album are Romano originals incorporating varying compositional forms. His melodic presentations are elegantly simple and the harmonic platforms they offer provide leader and soloists plenty of latitude for improvisational exploration. There is a lot of material here to encounter, with no track seeming superfluous or as a throw-in.
"Onward and Upward" is a tasty, up-tempo jazz waltz with a catchy melody sent up by Romano and Carlon. "Camino" is a Latin piece with a lovely, romantic essence. It is another winner in which Romano alternates from single notes to Wes Montgomery-like octaves. The groove here is smooth, sexy, and lush. Romano's guitar chops are extensive and there are influences here from a diverse spectrum from Wes Montgomery to Carlos Santana, Pat Metheny, and George Benson. His solos are motific, lyrical, and well-developed, providing interest and involvement. Saxman Paul Carlon is stellar across the date, offering robust inventiveness. The rhythm section, namely bassist Jennifer Vincent and drummer Garcia, are superb and highly engaged throughout.
The title track is a slower, liquid portrait with Romano and Carlon again in unison. Vincent stretches out with a fine solo. It is an interesting track. "Hollow" is a darker, somewhat contemplative selection with Romano's guitar stating over bass and Garcia's fine brushes and cymbal work. "Ratatat" is a triple-metered lively track with fine interaction with Romano and Garcia. It develops into excitement and fury. "Squirrelly" is a straight-ahead melody that lives up to its name. The groove leans heavily on the back beat—this is a track on which the group is obviously having fun. Vincent provides another tasty solo. "Reflection," a lovely, sentimental melody with a classic descending bass line that appropriately fits its title. Romano keeps this one floating with an exquisite solo. A lovely track. Carlon's tenor saxophone gives the melody on the very slow and elegiac, "Home." It is somewhat of a different, open-ended closer.
Overall, Three Chord Monte is a fine album with flights of talented hands and is certainly worth a listen.
https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/review/three-chord-monte/572777
TONY ROMANO — THREE CHORD MONTE (REVIEW)
Jazz Music Archives by John Sanders
Although “Three Chord Monte” is only his third album as a leader, guitarist Tony Romano has been working as a sideman for some time with jazz, Latin and pop artists such as Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin, Joe Bataan, Stanley Jordan and even Debbie Gibson. He can also be heard on many TV soundtracks as well. Tony wrote all of the material on this album and he enlisted Jennifer Vincent on bass and Rob Garcia on drums to help him out. Saxophonist Paul Carlon shows up on about half of the songs as well. Tony cites Bill Frisell as a major influence which will be obvious to those who know Bill’s work, but you can also hear some John Scofield in some of Romano’s funky riffing and contemporary melodic style.
The album opens strong with the Afrobeat groove of “Cadillac Green,” on which you can hear drummer Rob Garcia’s appreciation for Fela’s long time drummer, Tony Allen. As Romano builds his solo he digs into some hardcore Prince style funk riffs, this one is a scorcher. Later on in the album, “Lay it Down” re-visit’s the Tony Allen Afrobeat drive. The Frisell influence shows up on several melodic ballads, the best of which is “Home,” because this one gives Tony more room to stretch out on a solo. The band gets into their jazzy post-bop thing on a couple numbers and “Onward and Upward” features some of sax man Paul Carlon’s best work. Romano’s extensive work in Latin jazz shows up on a couple tracks and “Squirrelly” gets into some bluesy RnB with a New Orleans backline beat. All of the tracks are well composed and executed with imagination, but for my money, I would love to hear Tony get into some more of that groovy Afrobeat thang.
JW Vibe by Jonathan Widran
“A wild, mood swinging roller coaster… the ever-adventurous guitarist Tony Romano has a lot of eclectic solo fire these days to keep everyone transfixed.”
https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/tony-romano-three-chord-monte
TONY ROMANO, Three Chord Monte
Any veteran musician who can boast a resume populated with the likes of Stanley Jordan, Randy Brecker, Michael Feinstein AND still active 80s teen pop icon Debbie Gibson should command our attention for that alone – but the ever-adventurous guitarist Tony Romano, a 20-year staple of the NYC jazz scene, has a lot of eclectic solo fire these days to keep everyone transfixed.
The provocative title of his latest album Three Chord Monte is a clever twist on 3-Card Monte, a card game played on the streets of New York that dupes unsuspecting passersby into losing their money betting on a card that keeps moving around. Though Romano lets us keep our money – and if we’re buying an actual CD, really gives us our dollars’ worth – it’s the perfect metaphor for his ever-shifting rhythms and musical styles from track to track.
The bustle and boom filled, super-percussive opener “Cadillac Green” is pure joyous Afrobeat insanity inspired by the late drummer Tony Allen and featuring the dashing, darting dual sizzle of Romano and saxophonist Paul Carlon. The guitarist follows this with the sultry, 15-bar blues of “Rhumba-esque,” the silky, ethereal soul seduction “Winterland” (featuring Carlon’s smoky sax musings), the punchy staccato guitar/sax blasts and Bob Garcia’s boisterous drumming on the bluesy Afrobeat jam “Lay It Down” and the dreamy, laid back, hopeful minded waltz “Onward and Upward.” Romano revisits the hypnotic waltz vibe a bit later in the tracking, to snappy, hypnotic effect, on “Ratatat.”
Along the way, Romano and his quartet (which includes bassist Jennifer Vincent) also pay respectful homage to Bill Frisell with a moody, scale climbing “One for Bill.” Obviously aware he’s put the listeners on quite the wild, mood swinging roller coaster, he allows for some sweet and relaxing down time on the thoughtful “Reflection.”