FBPO Review
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Liminal
Adam Nitti
CD Review
Adam Nitti has always played the bass with a lot of energy. His performance on Liminal, his latest CD release, is no exception. Surrounding himself with a first-rate band, including Mike Whittaker on keyboards, Shane Theriot on guitar, Marcus Finnie on drums and Jeff Coffin on tenor sax, Nitti’s newest effort is outstanding on many levels.
First off is the fact that Nitti not only produced the album, but also composed and arranged all the tunes, which he performs using a combination of 5- and 6-string basses. Careful not to make Liminal “just another bass record,” Adam takes an unselfish approach, giving plenty of room to the other band members to stretch out, treating everyone with equal importance. (Don’t worry, bass enthusiasts – there is still plenty of stellar bass playing, including slapping, tapping and other techniques that can be executed by no one other than Adam Nitti.)
The album opens with “The Renaissance Man/Rebirth,” reminiscent of the Return to Forever style, ably performed with Marco Sfogli on guitar and Marco Minnemann on drums. “Distraction” has a melody that’s funky and edgy, featuring Sfogli on guitar, Finnie on drums and Alex Argento on keyboards.
“Liminal,” the title tune, is played in a strong slap “lead bass” style with a catchy, singable melody. The bass solo, while flashy, is played with a pristine “clean-ness” for which Nitti is known.
“Redemption Street” is given just the right flavor by Coffin on tenor sax and Johnny Neel on Hammond B-3 organ, creating a gospel-like aura. “The Seven Year Swing” is a feel-good funk number, showing off Adam’s outstanding, crisp slapping chops. Again, the band is given plenty of space.
“The Last Walk Home” (Nakita’s song) features Nitti on unaccompanied 5-string bass. In this short piece (less than two minutes), Adam demonstrates his beautiful melodic and chordal style with that precision for which he is known. “Not Forsaken” is primarily a 6-string bass feature with programmed drum loops, on which Adam is accompanied by Phil Keaggy on acoustic and electric guitars and Steve Cunningham on Lap Steel Guitar.
“The Good Foot” is an easy slap groove with tenor sax and the Hammond B-3 organ. “Il Cuore Del Campione” has a ’70s fusion feel with a busy Jaco-esque bass line.
The CD closes with “Vivere l’Aperitivo,” which is just over four and-a-half minutes of truly outstanding unaccompanied bass playing. Throughout this piece, Nitti grooves, plays melodies and chords, providing dazzling displays of what can be done with the bass!
Liminal is cohesive, yet also contains plenty of variety, always keeping the listener engaged. The compositions are strong, the arrangements are well written and the performance is great throughout. Making the CD even more enjoyable is the crystal clear production and overall sound quality.
Adam Nitti, already firmly established in the bass community, is still quite young, which makes one wonder what we can expect from him as his career continues to develop. If Liminal is any indication of how his talents and artistry are unfolding, there’s good news ahead for music lovers in general and bass lovers in particular.
Review by Jon Liebman
Adam's CD, Liminal and Evidence are available in the FBPO store:
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