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For the Soul on CD

Joyful Drummer Carmen Intorre has become the first-call player for several jazz stars. When he is not touring the world with the legendary guitarist Pat Martino, Carmen backs the likes of Monty Alexander, Joe Locke, Joey DeFrancesco and Chuck Mangione. His debut album, "FOR THE SOUL," offers an array of tunes important to Carmen's musical history. From Stevie Wonder's "Too High," to Weather Report's "Cannonball" and "Black Market," these are not tunes usually associated with an organ-based jazz group. Like Carmen, they are unique, fresh and vital. The band features the two best organists in jazz: Joey DeFrancesco and Pat Bianchi. Pat also tours with Martino; he and Carmen can complete one another's musical sentences. The young drummer's first major road gig was with Joey D., so they are also completely simpatico. Ace guitarist John Hart, a vet who has toured with Jack McDuff, Lizz Wright and Maria Schneider, and saxophonist Jon Irabagon, winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute Award, complete the band. Carmen's song selections were aided by legendary producer Bob Belden, who contributed an original right out of the organ/jazz/blues tradition, "Carmen's Caddie." The other original, "Only One," was penned by the leader to honor his late Mother. Freddie Hubbard's "Gibraltar" is assaulted, the rarely played Gene Perla tune "Tergiversation" is swung, Chick Corea's opus "Steps" is burnt up and Steely Dan's "Josie" is given a freeform frolic. The album's title is lifted from Donald Harrison's coolly melodic "Good For The Soul." Obviously, this music is just that: Good FOR THE SOUL.