Tony Adamo | What Is Hip? | TheUrbanMusicScene.com

Album Review: Tony Adamo | What is Hip?

by Brent Faulkner

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Covers
albums are the least likely to garner strong, universal critical
support. The artistry of making something classic ‘new’ or matching
the level of the original is often a gargantuan, sometimes impossible
task. Tony Adamo takes on this battle on his 2011 effort, What is Hip?.
Tony Adamo’s What is Hip? consists mostly of covers doctored up with
horns, a taste of soul, and jazz affections. Overall, the album proves
to be enjoyable, though rarely ‘revolutionary’ per say. When Adamo takes
risks and achieves more than a ‘breezy’ vocal performance (achieves
vocal grit and assertive nuances), that is when What is Hip? really
catches fire. While the covers never eclipse the original, Adamo has
some signature moments on What is Hip?.

“Cold
Duck Time (Get Your Groove on Line)” is a solid opener, featuring
organ, horns (most notably a killer sax solo), and background vocals as
Adamo’s supporting cast. This smart instrumentation proves to be a
mainstay throughout this effort, often making up for the subtleties of
Adamo’s vocals at times. Adamo sounds solid, though “Cold Duck Time”
lacks a bit of extra vocal punch. “Rhythm of Your Love” features a
fantastic groove from the musicians which Adamo manipulates to his
advantage. Again, the musical prowess by the supporting cast create a
sound backdrop for Adamo vocally.

“Make
Me a Memory” is one of the album’s best covers, recreating the smooth
jazz classic superbly and justly. Here, Adamo’s subtle vocal performance
fits the smooth jazz vein perfectly. “What is Hip?” is treated like a
Gil Scott Heron cut, and works extremely well. The background vocal
arrangement is splendid, with Adamo stealing the show more for his
spoken word artistry than his sung vocals. “Ecstasy” is solid and marks
the first time of the album where Adamo achieves some much longed for
vocal grit – a real ‘treat.’ Despite this feat, it is an adventurous
take on the Beatles’s classic “Eleanor Rigby” that garners top honors
for the album’s best cut. The repetitive chanting of the line “all the
lonely people…” proves to be a nice touch.

“Rio
De Janerio Blue” continues the momentum established by “Eleanor Rigby”
without eclipsing its grandeur. The uptempo take on the Temptations’s
classic “The Way You Do the Things You Do” is genius, featuring a superb
saxophone solo accompanied by swirling organ and horns. Sure, Adamo may
not necessarily rival the vocal prowess the Tempations established on
this soul standard (who could?), but he sells it well with his jazzy
adaptation and no frills approach.

“Love
Don’t Get” lays well, while “Calling” is ok though not revolutionary by
any means. “Nine Miles of Blue” redirects any laxness, featuring a
superbly performed organ solo. “Mystery” is similar to many other cuts,
which makes it less distinctive, while closing cut “This Time It’s Real”
(another Tower of Power cover) ends the album strongly intact with horn
section and organ.

Overall,
What is Hip? is enjoyable, but sometimes lacks ‘pizazz.’ Adamo shines
most when taking more vocal risks, which might be the biggest criticism
of this effort. Nonetheless, Tony Adamo has assembled a solid set of
covers (and a couple of originals) that does enough to satisfy.

Brent Faulkner

The Urban Music Scene