The Path began long ago in New York City for guitarist Paul Ricci. He knew he wanted to put together an album with some of the wide-ranging, high-level artists he'd been working with to interpret the grooving, multi-cultural music he was envisioning. That it would take 29 years, 17 collaborators, and a whole lot of living—including an extended move to Brazil—for it to come to fruition was not what he had in mind! Going in the studio in 1997 with Anthony Jackson, Steve Jordan, Manolo Badrena, Randy Brecker and numerous musicians from Brazil, Uruguay, Cameroon and Mali, they created most of the album, later inviting in many new voices who he'd become acquainted with in the intervening years to complete the recording in 2021. The Path was long and winding, but tunes like "Lobo," with the soaring vocals of Malian singer Abdoulaye Diabate dancing amidst Ricci's high-flying guitar phrasing, on a bed of rhythms created from the rich musical cultures of 3 different continents, can argue that it was a journey well worth taking.
Track Listing:
1 Major Look 5:44 2 Whenever 5:57 3 Lobo 6:23 4 Sleeping Beauty 4:22 5 Around the Block 5:25 6 September Glide 5:26 7 Down on 6th St. 3:30 All music by Paul Ricci (Stringsong Music) except (3) lyrics by Abdoulaye Diabaté
Performers:
Paul Ricci - guitars, electric bass (4) Michael Wolff - electric piano (1,2) Hugo Fattoruso - piano (5), organ (6), clavinet (3) André Mehmari - Fender Rhodes (4) Anthony Jackson - contrabass guitar (1,2,3,5,6) Steve Jordan - drums (1,2,6) Jojo Kuo - drums (3) Rogerio Boccato - drums, percussion (4,7) Jurim Moreira - drums (5) Manolo Badrena - percussion (1,2,5,6) Valtinho Anastácio - percussion (5) Ramon Echegeray, Arturo Prendez, Hugo Fattoruso - Candombe percussion (3) Alex Foster - soprano sax (2) Abdoulaye Diabaté - vocals (3) Jay Rodriguez Sierra - soprano sax (3) Randy Brecker - flugelhorn (6)
Production Info:
Produced by Paul Ricci Mixed & mastered by David Darlington at Bass Hit Studio, New York City Cover photo by Murilo Alvesso Cover design & layout by John Bishop
