Novecento (feat. Stanley Jordan) - Dreams Of Peace (2004)

Coming up in an era where conforming to one musical style often meant larger scale commercial success, Stanley Jordan achieved legendary status around the world by defying all simple categorizations.

The first artist signed to the newly revitalized Blue Note Records in the mid 1980s, the guitarist quickly established himself as a jazz virtuoso by virtue of his trademark “tapping technique.” Yet he never limited himself, creating modern instrumental classics out of rock standards, such as Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven on 1988’s Flying Home, and treasured classical pieces such as Bolero from 1994’s Bolero.

Dreams of Peace, the culmination of Jordan’s electrifying association with the popular Italian jazz ensemble Novecento , follows in this powerfully eclectic tradition and marks Jordan’s long-awaited return to the studio after a decade-long hiatus. The nine-track recording is a colorful blend of ambient music, funky and smooth soul-jazz and blistering rock fusion. It features appearances by notable jazz artists Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman and Danny Gottlieb.

The opener, Tell Me Something, is a dream, film score-like melody that features Jordan’s elegant acoustic guitar and Dora Nicolisi’s charming vocals. Flying to the Sky is a moody, easy grooving soul-jazz tune that features a soaring guitar and trumpet melody, combined with Pino Nicolisi’s playful keyboard lines.

The next track is an early favorite, Too Close to the Sun, a blues and jazz blend that involves a relaxed string melody and sassy horns on the rise. That is contrasted by the rock-oriented vocal Sky Flower, highlighted by lead singer Gregg Brown, Rossana Nicolisi’s bass and Jordan’s feisty, breakneck speed electric guitar.

Destination of My Heart takes Jordan and Novecento back to a bluesy jazz realm, where a colorful guitar melody melds with Dora’s soaring wordless vocals. But there’s no time to relax, as listeners will be happily jolted out of their comfort zone with the fiery mix of dense percussion, organ harmonies and blistering lead guitar lines of Spring. It’s the disc’s one true rockin’ jam session amidst the overall cool vibe, which continues on the ultra-soulful title track, Dreams of Peace.

The album closes with two snappy funk numbers, the spirited, horn-ensembled Easy Love and the strutting, R&B-influenced singalong rocker I Can Show You Something. Throughout Dreams of Peace, the listener is well-pleased, if not exceptionally satisfied.

While each song captures a different mood, all are good listening.